Chad Nathan’s Viral Video Raises R380,000 for Man Found in Storm

One stranger stopped to help another during Cape Town’s violent weather this week, and by the next morning, South Africans from around the globe had donated more than R380,000 to... The post Chad Nathan’s Viral Video Raises R380,000 for Man Found in Storm appeared first on Good Things Guy.

May 13, 2026 - 10:27

Chad Nathan’s Viral Video Raises R380,000 for Man Found in Storm

One stranger stopped to help another during Cape Town’s violent weather this week, and by the next morning, South Africans from around the globe had donated more than R380,000 to help change a homeless man’s life.

Western Cape, South Africa (13 May 2026) – The Cape Town storm had already chased most people indoors by the time Chad Nathan laced up his running shoes and headed for the promenade. Rain lashed sideways off the Atlantic, waves crashed over the seawall and the icy wind turned what was meant to be a training run into pure misery. But somewhere between wanting to turn back and forcing himself through another kilometre, Chad spotted a man in a wheelchair pushing himself alone through the storm… and a split-second decision changed both of their lives forever.

South Africa knows Chad as Ginger With a GoPro, the Cape Town-based photographer and videographer whose content has inspired thousands through travel, storytelling and human connection. He is no stranger to Good Things Guy either. We first featured Chad during the COVID-19 lockdowns when he began using his platform to raise awareness and funds for South African organisations helping vulnerable communities survive impossible circumstances. Since then, through his Raising Hope initiative, he has helped raise more than R1.6 million for people and causes in need.

But nothing could have prepared him for what happened this week.

Just 24 hours after posting a video about a homeless man named Sydney Miller, South Africans and supporters from around the globe had donated more than R380,000 to help him.

“It was raining but I thought it would be beautiful to be on the promenade all by myself,” Chad explained.

At first, the run felt brutal. The weather was miserable and his body was already exhausted while preparing for the Cape Town Marathon. He nearly gave up early.

“Normally, I just run all the way along the prom,” Chad said. “But this time, I don’t know what it was, I decided to run on the pavement near the road.”

That small change in direction led him straight to Sydney.

Chad saw a man in a wheelchair struggling against the rain, trying to push himself forward while the storm battered his face. There was not another soul around.

“I could just imagine, it must be so harsh and so horrible to be out here alone.”

So Chad stopped and offered to push him.

“He just had such a smile on his face, and he said, ‘Hey, thank you. Of course, wherever you want to push me to, I’ll take any offer that you give me.'”

Sydney told Chad he needed to get to the bus stop near the Sea Point Pavilion Pools. Chad realised just how far that was but decided there was no chance he could leave him to do it alone.

“I said, you know what, I’ve got nothing else to do, and I’m also cold, and I can imagine you’re also cold, so I’ll push you the whole way.”

Over the next four kilometres, Chad heard Sydney’s story.

Five years ago, Sydney was knocked over by a car in Sea Point. One of his legs had already been amputated and, earlier that same day, doctors at Somerset Hospital had informed him that they would need to amputate the other leg too. According to Sydney, he never received compensation from the Road Accident Fund. Since the accident, he has been living homeless in Sea Point, sleeping near the Pavilion bus stop with everything he owns packed into his wheelchair.

“It broke me,” Chad admitted later. “After 4km, my arms were finished. My whole body was aching. It gave me a completely new level of respect for the people who push loved ones through entire marathons in wheelchairs.”

The pair eventually found an open spot near the promenade, where Chad bought Sydney a hot chocolate and food while they spoke more about life and survival. Chad offered to get him a phone but Sydney explained he was scared of modern smartphones and only wanted something simple with numbers.

Chad says that what mattered most was not what Sydney asked for but what he didn’t ask for.

“He needed a new wheelchair, clothes and a bag. That’s all he asked for. He didn’t even ask for money.”

When Chad got home, he decided to post the story online. Within minutes, the video exploded.

“I looked at my phone and there were already like three thousand likes on the video. There were hundreds of shares and already R25,000 had come in within the first few minutes.”

The donations kept climbing. R25,000 became R50,000 and then R100,000. Then hundreds of thousands more followed as the video spread across social media.

“I actually cannot believe it.”

Determined to find Sydney again, Chad spent more than an hour searching the promenade, asking homeless residents, car guards and anyone who might know where “the man in the wheelchair” was.

“It became like Searching for Sugar Man… Searching for Sydney.”

Eventually, he found him near Mojo Market.

“When he saw me, he said, ‘You found me.'”

By then, strangers had already begun recognising Sydney from the viral video.

“People were stopping him and saying, ‘Sydney, we saw you on Ginger’s page.'”

Chad took Sydney down toward the pools where it was quieter and jokingly offered him a choice between “R800 cash” or a “mystery gift”. Sydney chose the mystery gift.

Inside the envelope was a letter Chad had written explaining what had happened. Sydney cannot read, so Chad read it aloud to him. As he explained that South Africans had already raised over R115,000 to help him, Sydney broke down in tears.

“He said he had tried to take his own life a couple of times. That hit hard.”

The story continued growing overnight. Donations poured in from ordinary South Africans and from people around the world wanting to help someone they had never met. Thousands of comments flooded Chad’s pages, along with messages offering counselling, housing, clothing, legal assistance and mobility support. The number currently sitting at R380,000 keeps rising.

And the support has already started changing Sydney’s future.

The Sweethearts Foundation has offered to help with a customised electric wheelchair. Brands have begun reaching out wanting to sponsor clothing and essentials. Chad is now working to secure temporary accommodation for Sydney before his upcoming surgery, as well as counselling, financial guidance and legal assistance regarding his Road Accident Fund claim.

“There’s so much happening,” Chad said. “But it’s amazing to see how the whole community came together to help someone and just to show that someone is seen and heard and that they’re not invisible.”

For Chad, the last 24 hours have reminded him why he started Raising Hope in the first place.

“I couldn’t just be a photographer and videographer seeing everything with my eyes and only documenting the stories,” he said. “I thought I already had a platform and I could use these videos to try and help people in need.”

One moment of humanity turned into hundreds of thousands of rands, thousands of messages of support and a man who, for the first time in a very long time, realised the world had finally noticed him. Kindness changes everything.

“Doing one little random act of kindness… and seeing what it can do to someone, and how it can change someone’s life… it just puts a big smile on my face.”

“Be kind. You never know how close someone is to giving up, and how deeply one moment of love can pull them back,” Chad concluded.