This 95-year-old World War II veteran took 4 buses to make an anti-racism rally in New Zealand
John Sato couldn't sleep.
The 95-year-old World War II veteran was devastated after news of the Christchurch massacre in New Zealand, and he wanted to do something to show support for the Muslim community in his country, he told Radio New Zealand.
He planned to go to a mosque near his home. He instead ended up taking four buses to get to an anti-racism rally in Auckland.
Now, international news accounts detailing his journey and images of a police officer and actor helping him down the road have gone viral, with many praising Sato's resolve to show solidarity for the shooting's victims.
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Fifty people at two mosques in Christchurch were killed earlier this month in a massacre carried out by a white supremacist.
Sato, who told RNZ that his mother is Scottish and father Japanese, was one of just two soldiers in New Zealand's army of Japanese descent in WWII, the radio network reported.
The shooting deeply affected Sato, and he said it kept him up at night.
"I thought it was so sad. You can feel the suffering of other people," the veteran told RNZ.
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He told RNZ he took the bus from his home in Howick to a nearby mosque in Pakuranga on Sunday. He saw flowers and messages of support, and then decided to make his way into the city.
After a total of four rides, he found himself at the anti-racism rally. There, photographers captured the touching moment when a police officer and actor Bruce Hopkins from the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy walked alongside the man, helping him down the road.
"I think it's such a tragedy, and yet it has the other side. It has brought people together, no matter what their race or anything. People suddenly realized we're all one. We care for each other," Sato told RNZ.
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After the rally, a police officer gave Sato a ride home. The officer even "waited down there until he saw me getting up the stairs," Sato told he radio network.
"The tragedy in Christchurch, look at what it brought out in people. It shows the best of humanity," he added.
Follow USA TODAY's Ryan Miller on Twitter @RyanW_Miller.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: This 95-year-old World War II veteran took 4 buses to make an anti-racism rally in New Zealand
