A Greek bus driver was praised for his philotimo, honesty and humanity after he returned a lost bag containing €2,500 ($2,600).
“I just did the right thing,” said Giannis Karatsidis, a driver for the Organization of Urban Transportation of Thessaloniki (OASTH), after receiving praise from the organization’s President and CEO Konstantinos Taggiris and the employees’ union head Giannis Dimkas. Karatsidis found a woman’s bag on his bus and returned it.
“The values I was raised with — the values my family taught me — always guide me to return what isn’t mine. It was simply the right thing to do,” he explained.
The incident occurred earlier this week on Route 24 (Eleftherias Square – Chilia Dentra). During his shift, Karatsidis noticed the bag and saw it held a significant sum of money.
Faced with a moral decision, the driver’s course of action was unwavering. Instead of hesitating or contemplating the possibilities for personal gain, he promptly reported the find to the authorities and turned over the bag. Police later reunited the bag with its rightful owner, who was overwhelmed with gratitude.
The driver’s act of honesty quickly garnered attention, earning him praise from his community and beyond. Local officials commended him for his exemplary behavior, emphasizing the importance of integrity in daily life.
OASTH President Taggiris praised Karatsidis for his “honesty, humanity, and quick reflexes.” He noted that this act reflects a longstanding tradition within OASTH of employees returning lost items, regardless of the amount. Union head Giannis Dimkas also congratulated Karatsidis for upholding this standard.
Greek bus driver and philotimo
Philotimo is a Greek noun that is sometimes translated as “love of honor.” However, it is almost impossible to translate the term adequately, since it describes a complex array of what are considered traditional Greek virtues.
Recently, a Greek-American high school senior in Somerset, Massachusetts won a scholarship after winning the competition by Washington’s The Oxi Day Foundation to describe the difficult-to-translate Greek term philotimo.
She wrote, “Philotimo is an elusive word, yet it is known to all Greeks, young and old. It transcends race, religion and culture. Its meaning is defined by the actions and good deeds shown to others, while expecting nothing in return. Philotimo resides within all of us and has the power to protect, preserve and to heal human life.”
In a time when such virtues can sometimes feel overshadowed, this bus driver’s story is a beacon of hope, inspiring others to act with kindness and uphold the principles that bind communities together. It serves as a gentle yet powerful lesson: integrity always travels the farthest, even on the simplest of buses.