Uber driver Hadi Abdollahian thought he was just making a pickup at Chicago O’Hare Airport to take a customer to Buffalo Wild Wings. It wasn’t until he punched the address into his GPS that he realized he was being asked to drive 543 miles to Buffalo, New York. The Washington Post had the amazing story.
“He told me Buffalo and I thought he meant Buffalo [Wild Wings] grill,” Abdollahian told The Post. “So I said, ‘Yeah, for sure.’ ”
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Bills cornerback Shareece Wright was the customer, and he didn’t need some chain restaurant wings, he had to get to the Bills’ facility for a voluntary workout. That made it all the more impressive, considering he didn’t need to be there at all — but he wanted to anyway.
At this point you’d forgive the Uber driver for turning down a trip halfway across the country, but he didn’t.
“I promised him on the phone,” reasoned Abdollahian, “so I said, ‘let’s hit the road.’”
The best part about the eight-hour trip was that Abdollahian and Wright didn’t just take a trip together, they became friends. Despite driving overnight, Wright got to know his driver.
“He introduced himself and said he was a football player,” Abdollahian said, noting that while he tried to let Wright get some rest, the conversation continued on-and-off throughout the night. Abdollahian added the majority of the conversation had a more personal slant, too.
The two remained in touch after the trip, which totaled $632 and netted Abdollahian a $300 tip. Not bad, especially when you think you’re just making a trip to Buffalo Wild Wings — but it got better from there. After hearing about the driver’s effort BlueRock Energy, a sponsor of the Bills, decided to match Wright’s fare as a reward for Abdollahian’s hard work. The following excerpt from a press release explains the decision.
“It may seem crazy to request someone to drive anywhere more than 10 miles, but to have Mr. Abdollahian drive me more than 500 miles to get me to my job, it truly means a lot. I’d like to thank Mr. Adbaollahian for stepping in and making sure I wouldn’t miss OTAs as I begin my first year as a Buffalo Bill. The payment of $932.08 is a testament to his character and commitment to helping others.”
Mr. Abdollahian, who hails from Chicago, drives for the ride-share company part-time. He is currently applying for college, where he plans on majoring in computer science. His goal is to become an astronaut. His father was a pilot for the Air Force in Iran.
“I am honestly shocked right now and unfortunately do not know what to say,” says Abdollahian. “I was just doing my job and wanted to have Mr. Wright get to his destination. I’d like to thank both Mr. Wright and BlueRock Energy for their generous offers. This will go towards paying off my school loans once I am done.”
According to Phil VanHorne, CEO of BlueRock Energy, “When I heard about this story, I was completely shocked. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of an Uber driving 500 miles to their customer’s destination. It was truly an admirable act and to show our appreciation, we are happy to match Mr. Wright’s fare of $932.08.”