Everyday Heroes: The Witness

Related Topics:

•  

He’d fled violence and corruption in his native Sudan and had come to Durham, North Carolina. Moezeldin Elmostafa worked hard and became a partner in a taxi company.

Shortly after midnight on March 14, 2006, he drove two young men to Duke University. A month later, he got a call to testify for one of three Duke lacrosse players charged with sexually assaulting an exotic dancer. What would happen to him if he did testify? The taxi driver thought of his own two-year-old son, Mohammed—and agreed. Then the police showed up and took him away, reopening an earlier charge for a minor crime. It was to frighten him, he believed, off the defense’s case. Elmostafa had to borrow $2,500 for attorney fees, but he stuck to his story—it was the truth. And he was cleared of all charges. Eight months later, so were the Duke lacrosse players.

The experience hasn’t soured Elmostafa on America. He’s passed his citizenship exam and is waiting to take the oath. "I’m looking forward to being a good citizen."

See the complete story.

Back to Vote for Our 2008 Hero of the Year.

 

 

From Reader's Digest - November 2007