“I Can’t Wait”: Cape Town’s Sydney Gets New Wheels After Losing Both Legs, Leaving SA in Tears

• Sydney Miller, the homeless Cape Town man who went viral after a runner found him pushing himself through a storm, has received a motorised wheelchair
• Cape Town runner Chad Nathans stopped to help Sydney during a severe storm months back, and later helped raise over R115,000 for him
• The next goal for Chad and his team is building Sydney a proper home so he is never caught in Cape Town's harsh winter storms without shelter again

As previously reported by Briefly News, Cape Town runner Chad Nathans came across a homeless wheelchair-bound man named Sydney Miller during one of the city's worst storms in May 2026. He stopped and pushed Sydney 4km through the rain to safety.

Chad shared the story online, and watched as South Africa and the rest of the world donated over R115,000 to help him.

Sydney had already lost one leg after being hit by a car and never received compensation from the Road Accident Fund. His second leg was amputated at Somerset Hospital shortly after.

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Now, Sydney has new wheels. Chad shared a video on 30 June 2026 with the update that Sydney had received a motorised wheelchair, a gift made possible by Aquazania and The Sweethearts Foundation. Chad wrote:

"Knowing he'll soon be cruising up and down the promenade with me puts the biggest smile on my face. I can't wait."

A new kind of freedom

The motorised wheelchair is a huge step forward for Sydney. Without either of his legs, pushing himself around in a standard wheelchair took a lot of effort. The new chair means he can move around independently and without much effort.

Chad was not there when Sydney received the chair, but the footage of Sydney moving around in it for the first time tells the whole story. Behind the scenes, Angel Network SA and Souper Troopers have been managing Sydney's funds and helping coordinate his medical care, making sure the donations raised for him are being used properly and that he is being looked after.

What comes next

Chad made it clear in his caption that the story is far from over. The next goal is to build Sydney a proper home so that he is no longer sleeping rough and exposed to Cape Town's brutal winter weather.

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Watch the Instagram clip here.

SA loves Sydney's new wheels

People were moved and full of joy for Sydney, sharing their love on Chad's Instagram page:

@lemondropfashion_ wrote:

"Kindness and compassion, that is what SA needs! 🩷♥️"

@hili_k said:

"Chad, you are a next-level legend. Thank you for inspiring us with your kindness, gees and compassion ❤️"

@casisntserious wrote:

"The way I race to see each new episode 🥹"

@seglo3 said:

"There are truly no words for what you did for this man. How do we carbon copy you and make more of you throughout this world? 🥹"

@chloe.j.eden wrote:

"This journey ❤️ So happy for Sidney. Thanks for making this happen to all involved 👏👏👏"

More emotional moments

• Briefly News recently reported on a man in Venezuela breaking down in tears while begging for heavy machinery to help find families trapped after a devastating earthquake.
• A South African father paid tribute to the woman who helped raise his children after 15 years of dedication.
• A South African man opened up about losing everything he had built and starting from scratch.

Source: Briefly News