A 95yo war veteran took four buses to attend an anti-racism march in New Zealand.

When 95-year-old John Sato left his house around 10am on Sunday, it was the beginning of a long journey.

The World War II veteran had struggled to sleep since hearing news of terrorist attacks on two Christchurch mosques that claimed the lives of 50 people on March 15.

“I didn’t sleep too well ever since. I thought it was so sad. You can feel the suffering of other people,” he told Radio New Zealand.

Mamamia’s daily news podcast The Quicky shares the tales of bravery and hope after the Christchurch attacks. Post continues below audio.

Sato, whose wife died 15 years ago and only daughter passed last year, heard about the vigils and memorial events around the country, and wanted to visit a mosque in Pakuranga, near his home in Howick in east Auckland.

Sato does not drive, so he hopped on a bus to get there.

After seeing many flowers and messages of condolences and support at the mosque, Sato decided he would attend the anti-racism march taking place in Auckland’s city centre that day – a journey that required two further bus transfers, taking his bus total to four.

Moving photos captured Sato walking with the large crowd through the streets, aided by a policeman and New Zealand actor Bruce Hopkins.

A policeman took him home following the march so he would not need to get another four buses.

"Policeman took me all the way home, waited down there until he saw me getting up the stairs," he told RNZ.

"The tragedy in Christchurch, look at what it brought out in people. It shows the best of humanity."

 

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Here's the young fella himself, #JohnSato it has been wicked to see the photo of Rob the policeman John & I walking in the March against racism, get picked up by the media. John is definitely someone who has a story to share & inspire. Between he & I we have 158yrs of living & only 63 of those are mine, yep the dude is 95. The selfie is at Vic Park after we finished & I got the police on Rob's instruction to take him home so he did not have to catch another set of buses! The other pics are when I first saw John & Rob which led to me offering to help, and the last pic is the crowd & hill of Wellesley St that John was starting to walk up when Rob stepped in

A post shared by Bruce Hopkins (@brucehoppy) on Mar 27, 2019 at 10:51am PDT

Sato was one of just two Kiwi-Japanese men in the New Zealand Army during WWII.

He said life was too short to be wasted on war and hatred and he was motivated to take part in the march to stand with his country after such a horrible event.

Sato said the tragedy in Christchurch had made people realise "we're all one" and the importance of caring for each other.

"I think it is such a tragedy, and yet… it has brought people together. It doesn't matter what their race or anything."

For more on this topic:

'We will give him nothing, not even his name.' Jacinda Ardern's powerful speech to parliament.

These are the names and faces of all the known victims of the Christchurch terrorist attack.

Why the world can’t look away from Jacinda Ardern in the wake of the Christchurch attack.

“These won’t be my best words…” Waleed Aly’s moving monologue on Christchurch.