I found out about Nicolae while I was reading the "Hurricane" Issue of New York Magazine this past weekend. If you're a subscriber, it's the New York Mag that had the really cool cover of lower Manhattan entrenched in darkness, with the caption "The City and the Storm." Journalists are calling that issue the best storm coverage out there.

While reading it page by page (I treasure my NY Magazine; I read it like one would eat a meal, quickly engrossing myself in the magazines appetizer first pages, while enjoying milling thru the middle, excited to get to the dessert.) The dessert, in my opinion, is their very last page, the "Approval Matrix" that tells you what is despicable and what is brilliant in pop culture today. It's fun to read. In any case, I'll end my whole hearted endorsement of the magazine and continue on about someone very special; Nicolae.

Nicolae's story popped up on page 48. I was slowly consuming the content on page 48 when I came across the blurb entitled "Hacks" by Jillian Goodman, a contributor to the magazine. It told a brief story (literally no more than 5 sentences) of Nicolae Hent, a taxi driver who lost business during Sandy, driving from borough to borough looking for gas, as well being the victim of two customers jumping their fares.

He lost almost 50% of his daily wages; making only $187.50 (and $16.60 in tips) the Wednesday after the storm, when his usual wage on a Wednesday is around $300. This immediately struck me as someone we could help with our Forgotten Ones Fund. I texted Elise and Marissa a picture of the article right away and asked what they thought. Their response was an enthusiastic 'yes, definitely!' I was then tasked with the quite challenging task of getting in contact with the reporter who wrote this particular article. Thankfully, getting in contact with reporters is my day job, so I was excited to take on the challenge.

I called NY Magazine and asked for Jillian Goodman, the author of the article. The receptionist told me that no one by that name works for NYMag. I explained to the receptionist what I was trying to do (in literally under 10 seconds, recognizing the haste in her voice), and she said she would transfer me to someone. Yes! A next step. Small win. Then, an unwelcome drawback. I was given a voicemail. The voicemail box said it was someone named Dave, so I left him a short voicemail about the article, Next Jump, and the Forgotten Ones Fund, as well as my cell phone number. (couldn't risk possibly missing his call back by giving him my work phone number.)

A day and a quarter later, Dave called back! Thrilled, I spoke with him enthusiastically about how I came across the article, what Next Jump is doing, and that we would like to help. And can you, in any way, get me in contact with Jillian Anderson? Dave told me that Jillian Anderson is a contributor at NYMag, and does not work there full time. He provided me with her email and sent me on my way, while giving earnest praise to Next Jump in regards to our Forgotten Ones fund.

Next step: emailing Jillian and asking for Nicolae's contact information! Jillian got back to me, and she provided me with Nicolae's contact info. Telling me in an email that it "sounds like he really appreciates it."

I gave Nicolae a call right away, and I was immediately so happy with his demeanor. Right away, he started to thank me, saying that he cannot accept it, and he cannot possibly take this, and he is so grateful. He said he did indeed lose wages during Sandy. He had to drive 60 miles to Connecticut to buy gas. He lost an entire day of work doing this. Meanwhile he is trying to put his two daughters through college. His wife does not work; she takes care of the children. Nicolae is an honorable man. He came to the US from Romania in 1985 to find a better life for his wife and young children. In 1988 he moved to NYC and became a taxi driver. He has been doing it ever since. That's 24 years as a taxi driver. Does he like being a taxi driver? I asked, and he said well, you do what you have to do to make a living, and provide for your family. An honorable man indeed.

Nicolae said he could not thank us enough. He just feels bad he wasn't able to help other people in his community more. (he lives in Queens). He kept saying, "I just wish I was able to help more, I feel bad." You could just tell he meant it. After our conversation, we arranged to meet to give him the Forgotten Ones money. He would drive his taxi to the NY office around 6pm.

When he called me that he was here, I grabbed my right and left hands; Elise, to help with picture taking, and Nadia, to speak Romanian with Nicolae! We met him outside, Elise in her gym clothes because he called while she was mid-treadmill run, me in my puffy black jacket, and Nadia in her nice dress that she wore today.

His response was emotionally overwhelming for me. I gave him a big hug, and introduced all of us as Next Jump employees. We explained the Forgotten Ones fund. Nadia and Nicolae chatted about Romanian things (but he insisted on speaking English so we could all understand what he was saying). Then he just kept saying over and over, thank you thank you. He wanted to know, "am I hurting anyone by taking this?" No, of course not! Just the opposite! He just felt so un-deserving. Meanwhile, I don't know if he knew, or if he'll ever know, just how deserving he is of the money. He told us he worked so hard to provide for his family that he barely ever saw his own children. Earlier, during our first conversation on the phone, I told Nicolae that if he wants, he can use the money to take his wife out for a nice dinner. While standing outside with him he told us, I will take my wife out for a nice dinner, but please, take $100 back. I do not want to take all $400. No, no we insisted. Please, take all of it. You have been servicing our community for over 20 years, and we appreciate you. We are grateful to you. "Okay" he said, "but after I take my wife out to dinner, I will use the rest of the money to help other people." This sent chills down my spine. A truly good person, and another story of someone paying it forward. I'll never look at taxi cab drivers quite the same. Nicolae changed me, this experience changed me.

Thank you Next Jump.