Nelson Mandela: Unconnected......But Connected: What Madiba Meant To Me

In early December 2013, the world lost a great man. Nelson Mandela, in all his glory, finally departed.. Consequently, numerous beautiful tributes, documentaries and dedicated write-ups in honour of this great man followed..

But, try as I might, I just couldn't think up something worthy and befitting enough to write in honour of this great man. I mean, come to think of it, what else is there to say about Nelson Mandela? What other words can be used to describe this modern day legend? What tales haven't been told? What biographies haven't been compiled? What tributes haven't been penned?... Simply put, when it came to Madiba, I was at a loss for words..

Then it happened.. 


I randomly came across a story on the internet. A simple story. A humane story. A beautiful story.  ...A story of strength and courage. A story of empathy and morality. A story of kindness and conscience.

This particular story is unconnected to Mandela......but somehow, connected. I can't explain it, but somehow, this story just encapsulates what Nelson Mandela meant to me.

This story, with its tear-inducing photographs, is illustrated below:

In 1996, something pretty amazing happened in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Please read the story and be blown away. it's a story of courage and kindness that is still inspiring people 18 years later..

 17 Knights of White Supremacist Organization, the Ku Klux Klan, held a rally on the second floor of a City Hall in Ann Arbor, Michigan on June 22, 1996, fully clothed in hate robes. And just outside in the street were 300 angry anti-KKK protesters who wanted the KKK to know they weren’t welcome. In the midst of the protestors, majority black, someone spotted a middle-aged white man wearing a Confederate t-shirt. Through his clothes and “SS” tattoo, it appeared that he was a white supremacist though he was not a member of the Klan. Once his presence was made known, the angry protesters chased him down and began to beat him in the streets, with one yelling “Kill the Nazi”.

Among those protesters was an 18 year old high-school girl named Keshia Thomas. That’s when things went from violent to a kind of heroism that will give you goosebumps. Continue..


While there were policeman with gas masks and riot gear protecting the Klansmen who wore full garb on the other side of the fence, there was no one protecting the man who chose to stand on the same side as the protesters to observe, while he wore a symbol that represented racism on his shirt.

 The man is seen running from the angry protesters in this gripping photo. Just over his shoulder in the USA shirt is Keshia Thomas..

The mob caught up with him, surrounded him, and proceeded to kick him and beat him..

That's when Keshia had enough..

She bravely covered his body with her own, screaming for the mob to stop beating him..

They listened and, in tears, she held the racist man in her arms.. The man that hated her simply for the colour of her skin, and nothing else..

These are the series of photos the world was talking about in 1996.. And we should be talking about it today too. Keshia's actions are inspiring..

Days after this took place, when asked about her actions, Keshia said, "I knew what it was like to be hurt. The many times that that happened, I wish someone would have stood up for me. Nobody deserves to be hurt, especially not for an idea."

Keshia never heard from the man after that day, but she said months later, someone walked up to her in a coffee shop and said thanks. When she asked why, the person said the man she saved was his father..
Everybody needs to be a little more like Keshia.

So that's it. When I came across this touching story, I was absolutely blown away. The humanity displayed by that Keshia girl simply transcends any sort of human divisionary or segregatory line. An awesome lady. A beautiful heart. An awesome act. A beautiful story.
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And that brings us back to Mandela. Somehow, to me, that story kinda, sorta, somewhat illustrates everything Mandela stood for. It may have been different locations, different times, different instigators, different situations, but make no mistake about it, Nelson Mandela and Keshia Thomas were absolutely on the same exact wavelength. They both stood for the same noble cause. If all humans had the same golden-hearted and tolerant attitude, I'm pretty sure our world would be a much better place.

Nelson Mandela stood for liberation. He fostered togetherness irrespective of racial or tribal leanings. A man who forgave his captors even after 27 desolate years in prison. A freedom percepter. Courageous. Humane. Conscientious. Kind. Majestic. Graceful. The most humble of dispositions. A bastion of tolerance. A good man. A great man.

So, admittedly, I couldn't bring myself to write something ultimately befitting and exhaustive on such a great man........but at least, I have an 'unconnected but connected' story on what he meant to me. That would suffice for now.
Nelson Mandela: Unconnected.........But Connected.
The World Will Not Forget.
The Personification Of Greatness.
A Legend.

Madiba... RIP, Sir.