Dubai: First, they were recognised by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for their act of kindness. Then, they each got rewarded with a handsome amount for their speedy action that saved the life of a pregnant cat.
The four Dubai residents — Indian expat Nasser Mohammad, who works as a driver at Roads and Transport Authority; Atif Mehmood, a Pakistani salesman; Rashid Mohammed, an Indian grocery store owner, and Moroccan security guard Ashraf Bleinza — have received Dh50,000 each, according to reports.
They were hailed as “unsung heroes” by Sheikh Mohammed in video he tweeted on August 24, where he captioned: “Proud and happy to see such acts of kindness in our beautiful city. Whoever identifies these unsung heroes, please help us thank them.”
Simple act of kindness
The video immediately went viral and the identities of the ‘unsung heroes’, who came from diverse backgrounds and who did not know each other prior to the ‘incident’, was revealed.
They said they “just sort of banded together to save the cat” but that simple act of kindness and quick thinking — spreading a bedsheet to catch the cat who was precariously dangling from the second-floor balcony of a building in Deira — sparked an inspiring note.
The four residents received wide praise and accolades from netizens and Dubai residents. And the financial reward was a bonus that the four said will be put to good use.
