A viral account says Gurvinder Singh gave hundreds of free rides in New York for 40 days after the September 11 attacks.4 min readSep 12, 2026 07:02 PM IST First published on: Sep 12, 2026 at 06:42 PM IST ShareWhatsapptwitterFacebookIndian immigrant taxi driver was at world trade center on 9/11, then gave free rides for 40 days. (Photo: X/@ShabbosK)An Indian-origin taxi driver’s story of helping New Yorkers in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks has gone viral online, decades after the tragedy. In an X post shared ahead of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Shabbos Kestenbaum recalled a conversation with his taxi driver, Gurvinder Singh, who reportedly told him he was at the World Trade Center on the morning of the attacks.What Singh did after that day has drawn particular attention. According to Kestenbaum’s account, the immigrant driver spent the following 40 days giving free rides to people across New York who needed help, refusing payments from his passengers.Kestenbaum also said Singh showed him a letter from then-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani thanking him for his service to the city.Indian immigrant’s act of service after 9/11Kestenbaum said Singh had emigrated from India about 35 years ago and continued driving a taxi in New York.My taxi driver tonight, Gurvinder Singh, was at the World Trade Center on the morning of 9/11.For the next 40 days, he gave hundreds of rides to any New Yorker who needed, and refused all payment.He showed me the letter he got from Mayor Giuliani thanking him for his… pic.twitter.com/zpN9yXheVw— Shabbos Kestenbaum (@ShabbosK) September 11, 2026The story has resonated widely online, with many users praising Singh for helping people at a time when New York was dealing with the aftermath of the attacks.Kestenbaum said Singh also encourages his passengers to display American flags.Story continues below this adKestenbaum’s post was widely shared online, with users praising Singh’s reported decision to help New Yorkers without accepting payment.‘Love all people, respect all people’Singh had a message he wanted Kestenbaum to share ahead of the 9/11 anniversary.“Love all people, respect all people. God bless you all and God bless America!”Also read 9/11 at 25: What happened that morning and how it changed the worldThe message became one of the most widely shared parts of the post, with users highlighting Singh’s emphasis on compassion and service.Story draws praise onlineKestenbaum’s post attracted thousands of reactions, with commenters describing Singh’s actions as an example of the contributions immigrants make to American communities.One user wrote, “I hope immigrants like him get the respect they deserve.”Story continues below this adAnother praised Singh as “a hard-working, honest immigrant” and said his actions showed how one person could make a positive difference in other people’s lives.Others focused on Singh’s identity as a Sikh immigrant and praised his contribution to New York.Also Read US Airport Security: Major changes 25 years after 9/11One commenter wrote, “So many Sikhs are proud Americans, here legally and for generations, and providing a dignified and legal service to their fellow Americans as independent business owners.”Most ReadA 9/11 story remembered 25 years laterThe story comes as the United States marks 25 years since the September 11 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people and reshaped the country’s political and social landscape.Story continues below this adWhile Singh’s account has spread widely through Kestenbaum’s post, details of his actions are based on Kestenbaum’s recollection and have not been independently verified in the material available here.Still, the story has struck a chord online because it focuses not only on the tragedy of 9/11, but also on an individual act of service in the weeks that followed.AdvertisementLoading Recommendations...AdvertisementAdvertisement