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After Seeing Photo Of Greek Man Crying Outside Bank, CEO In Australia Vows To Help Him

After Seeing Photo Of Greek Man Crying Outside Bank, CEO In Australia Vows To Help Him
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By 

Asian-American Affairs Reporter, HuffPost

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An elderly man is crying outside a national bank branch as pensioners queue to get their pensions, with a limit of 120 euros, in Thessaloniki on 3 July, 2015. Greece is almost evenly split over a crucial weekend referendum that could decide its financial fate, with a 'Yes' result possibly ahead by a whisker, the latest survey Friday showed. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras's government is asking Greece's voters to vote 'No' to a technically phrased question asking if they are willing to accept more tough austerity conditions from international creditors in exchange for bailout funds. AFP PHOTO /Sakis Mitrolidis (Photo credit should read SAKIS MITROLIDIS/AFP/Getty Images)

Days before Greece voted against a European bailout deal, a photograph of a 77-year-old Greek man crying outside a bank was widely circulated in the media. The moving image, which captures the impact of the current debt crisis on everyday citizens, caught the attention of a compassionate man who felt compelled to help.

Giorgos Chatzifotiadis, a Greek retiree, was photographed sobbing on the ground after being unable to withdraw a pension on behalf of his wife, Agence France-Presse reported. Gap Finance CEO James Koufos who lives in Sydney, Australia, saw the image, and with the help of his mother, identified the 77-year-old as an old friend of his father's.

While he's miles away from the crisis, Koufos called on people across social media this past Sunday to help track the man down so that he could help pay Chatzifotiadis' pension.

I urge all my Facebook friends to please help us track this man even the journalists who wrote this or anyone out there...

Posted by James Koufos on Sunday, July 5, 2015

"This man is a old school friend of my late father! Gap Finance and I will pay this man's pension for 12 months plus!!! As long as it takes!!" Koufos wrote in a Facebook post. "I will never allow to see a fellow Greek proud hardworking man starve!! Please, please if anyone can help track this man down with his details I urge you to contact us."

Koufos' efforts seem to have paid off as he was able to track down Chatzifotiadis, News.com.au reported. The CEO now plans to fly to Greece this Saturday to meet with the 77-year-old.

Chatzifotiadis' photo was taken after the man had waited in line at four different banks in hopes of collecting a pension. When he was told that he would be unable to withdraw the money, the retiree broke down, according to AFP. The 77-year-old's emotional reaction struck a chord with Koufos.

"All of us are human beings and sometimes hits us in the sweet spot and we react without thinking -- that's what happened to me when I saw this," the CEO told the Daily Mail Australia. "I knew I had to try and do something."

Since his initial Facebook post, Koufos says he's received about 4 or 5 thousand euros from others who also want to help the 77-year-old and mentioned that he'll use some of the inheritance his father left him to pay Chatzifotiadis' pension.

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Before You Go

Greece Votes 'No'
Greece Bailout(01 of27)
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A supporter of the No vote reacts after the results of the referendum at Syntagma square in Athens, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Greeks overwhelmingly rejected creditors' demands for more austerity in return for rescue loans in a critical referendum Sunday, backing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who insisted the vote would give him a stronger hand to reach a better deal. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Greece Bailout(02 of27)
Open Image Modal
Supporters of the No vote celebrate after the results of the referendum in the northern Greek port city of Thessaloniki, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Greeks overwhelmingly rejected creditorsâ demands for more austerity in return for rescue loans in a critical referendum Sunday, backing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who insisted the vote would give him a stronger hand to reach a better deal. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
APTOPIX Greece Bailout(03 of27)
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A supporter of the No vote waves a Greek flag in front of the parliament after the results of the referendum at Syntagma square in Athens, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Greeks overwhelmingly rejected creditors' demands for more austerity in return for rescue loans in a critical referendum Sunday, backing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who insisted the vote would give him a stronger hand to reach a better deal. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Greece Bailout(04 of27)
Open Image Modal
Supporters of the No vote react after the results of the referendum at Syntagma square in Athens, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Greeks overwhelmingly rejected creditors' demands for more austerity in return for rescue loans in a critical referendum Sunday, backing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who insisted the vote would give him a stronger hand to reach a better deal. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Greece Bailout(05 of27)
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Supporters of the No vote chant slogans after the results of the referendum at Syntagma square in Athens, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Voters in Greece resoundingly rejected creditors' demands for more austerity in return for rescue loans Sunday, backing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who insisted the vote would give him a stronger hand to reach a better deal. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Greece Bailout(06 of27)
Open Image Modal
Supporters of the No vote chant slogans after the results of the referendum at Syntagma square in Athens, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Voters in Greece resoundingly rejected creditors' demands for more austerity in return for rescue loans Sunday, backing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who insisted the vote would give him a stronger hand to reach a better deal. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Greece Bailout(07 of27)
Open Image Modal
Supporters of the No vote wave Greek flags after the results of the referendum at Syntagma square in Athens, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Greeks overwhelmingly rejected creditors' demands for more austerity in return for rescue loans in a critical referendum Sunday, backing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who insisted the vote would give him a stronger hand to reach a better deal. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Greece Bailout(08 of27)
Open Image Modal
A supporter of the No vote shouts slogans after the results of the referendum in the northern Greek port city of Thessaloniki, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Greeks overwhelmingly rejected creditorsâ demands for more austerity in return for rescue loans in a critical referendum Sunday, backing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who insisted the vote would give him a stronger hand to reach a better deal. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Greece Bailout(09 of27)
Open Image Modal
A supporter of the No vote shouts slogans after the results of the referendum in the northern Greek port city of Thessaloniki, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Greeks overwhelmingly rejected creditorsâ demands for more austerity in return for rescue loans in a critical referendum Sunday, backing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who insisted the vote would give him a stronger hand to reach a better deal. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Greece Bailout(10 of27)
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Supporters of the No vote celebrate after the results of the referendum at Syntagma square in Athens, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Greeks overwhelmingly rejected creditors' demands for more austerity in return for rescue loans in a critical referendum Sunday, backing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who insisted the vote would give him a stronger hand to reach a better deal. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Greece Bailout(11 of27)
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Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, left, speaks with the Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos after the results of the referendum at the Presidential Palace in Athens, early Monday, July 6, 2015. Voters in Greece resoundingly rejected creditors' demands for more austerity in return for rescue loans Sunday, backing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who insisted the vote would give him a stronger hand to reach a better deal. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Greece Bailout(12 of27)
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Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras speaks with the Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos after the results of the referendum at the Presidential Palace in Athens, early Monday, July 6, 2015. Voters in Greece resoundingly rejected creditors' demands for more austerity in return for rescue loans Sunday, backing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who insisted the vote would give him a stronger hand to reach a better deal. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Greece Bailout(13 of27)
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A vendor sells Greek flags walks at Syntagma square in Athens, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Three opinion polls carried out during Greece's bailout referendum, which could affect the country's future in the eurozone, indicate the "no" vote will win. Tsipras called Sunday's referendum last weekend, urging voters to reject creditor reform proposals. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Greece Bailout(14 of27)
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Supporters of the No vote wave Greek flags after the results of the referendum at Syntagma square in Athens, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Greece faced an uncharted future as officials counted the results of a referendum Sunday on whether to accept creditors' demands for more austerity in exchange for rescue loans, with three opinion polls showing a tight race with a narrow victory likely for the "no" side. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
APTOPIX Greece Bailout(15 of27)
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A supporter of the No vote waves a Greek flag as celebrates after the results of the referendum in Synatagma square in central Athens, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Voters in Greece resoundingly rejected creditors' demands for more austerity in return for rescue loans Sunday, backing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who insisted the vote would give him a stronger hand to reach a better deal. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
APTOPIX Greece Bailout(16 of27)
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Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras casts his vote at a polling station in Athens, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Greeks began voting early Sunday in a closely-watched, closely-contested referendum, which the government pits as a choice over whether to defy the country's creditors and push for better repayment terms or essentially accept their terms, but which the opposition and many of the creditors paint as a choice between staying in the euro or leaving it. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
APTOPIX Greece Bailout(17 of27)
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Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, center, speaks to the media after voting at a polling station in Athens, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Greeks began voting early Sunday in a closely-watched, closely-contested referendum, which the government pits as a choice over whether to defy the country's creditors and push for better repayment terms or essentially accept their terms, but which the opposition and many of the creditors paint as a choice between staying in the euro or leaving it. (AP Photo/Spyros Tsakiris) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
APTOPIX Greece Bailout(18 of27)
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A supporter of the No vote waves a Greek flag after the referendum's exit polls at Syntagma square in Athens, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Greece faced an uncharted future as officials counted the results of a referendum Sunday on whether to accept creditors' demands for more austerity in exchange for rescue loans, with three opinion polls showing a tight race with a narrow victory likely for the "no" side. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
APTOPIX Greece Bailout(19 of27)
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Supporters of the No vote react after the first results of the referendum at Syntagma square in Athens, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Greece faced an uncharted future as its interior ministry predicted Sunday that more than 60 percent of voters in a hastily called referendum had rejected creditors' demands for more austerity in exchange for rescue loans. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
APTOPIX Greece Bailout(20 of27)
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Supporters of the No vote react after the first results of the referendum at Syntagma square in Athens, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Greece faced an uncharted future as its interior ministry predicted Sunday that more than 60 percent of voters in a hastily called referendum had rejected creditors' demands for more austerity in exchange for rescue loans. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Japan Financial Markets(21 of27)
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A woman waits to cross a street in front of an electronic stock indicator of a securities firm in Tokyo, Monday, July 6, 2015. Greece's foray into the unknown with its rejection of terms set by its international creditors is jolting markets as investors react to looming uncertainties. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Japan Financial Markets(22 of27)
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A woman walks past an electronic stock indicator of a securities firm in Tokyo, Monday, July 6, 2015. Greece's foray into the unknown with its rejection of terms set by its international creditors is jolting markets as investors react to looming uncertainties. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Japan Financial Markets(23 of27)
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People walk past an electronic stock indicator of a securities firm in Tokyo, Monday, July 6, 2015. Greece's foray into the unknown with its rejection of terms set by its international creditors is jolting markets as investors react to looming uncertainties. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Japan Financial Markets(24 of27)
Open Image Modal
People walk past an electronic stock indicator of a securities firm in Tokyo, Monday, July 6, 2015. Greece's foray into the unknown with its rejection of terms set by its international creditors is jolting markets as investors react to looming uncertainties.(AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Australia Financial Markets(25 of27)
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A cleaner walks past display boards at the Australian Stock Exchange in Sydney, Monday, July 6, 2015. Asian markets are falling as investors reacted to Greece's sound rejection of terms set by its international creditors, deepening uncertainties over its status as a member of the 19-nation eurozone. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Australia Financial Markets(26 of27)
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A television journalist works in front of display boards at the Australian Stock Exchange in Sydney, Monday, July 6, 2015. Asian markets are falling as investors reacted to Greece's sound rejection of terms set by its international creditors, deepening uncertainties over its status as a member of the 19-nation eurozone. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Australia Financial Markets(27 of27)
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A display board at the Australian Stock Exchange flashes red indicating the losses of several names in Sydney, Monday, July 6, 2015. Asian markets are falling as investors reacted to Greece's sound rejection of terms set by its international creditors, deepening uncertainties over its status as a member of the 19-nation eurozone. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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