7月5日に行われたギリシャの国民投票の数日前、銀行の外で号泣する77歳のギリシャ人男性を写した写真がメディアで大きく取り上げられ、話題になった。
写真に写っているのは、年金生活をするイオルゴス・チャッチフォシャディスさんだ。この日彼は妻に代って年金を受けとるために4つの銀行で列に並んだが、結局120ユーロ（約1万6000円）を引き出すことはできないと告げられ、銀行の外に座りこんで泣いていた、とAFP通信は伝えている。
彼が泣き崩れた理由は、「自国がこれほどの窮地にあることに打ちのめされた」からだという。
ギリシャの現状を映し出すこの象徴的な写真に目を留めたのが、オーストラリアのシドニーに住むジェームズ・クーフォスさんだった。ローン会社「ギャップ・ファイナンス」のCEOを務めるクーフォスさんは、この77歳の男性が偶然にも自分の父親の古い友人であると母親から告げられ、驚くと同時に彼のために何かしたいという気持ちに駆り立てられた。
そこで彼を探すために、クーフォスさんは7月5日にFacebookでこのように呼びかけた。
「この男性は、他界した私の父の古い学友です。ギャップ・ファイナンス社と私は、この男性に12カ月分を足した年金を支払います。それがいくらでもかまいません。誇り高く勤勉なギリシャ人男性が飢えに苦しむ姿を見たくはありません。どうかお願いします。この男性の関する詳しい情報をご存じで、居場所が分かる方がいればご連絡いただけないでしょうか」
熱心な訴えのかいあって、クーフォスさんはついにチャッチフォシャデイスさんを見つけ出すことができたと、ニュースサイト「News.com.au」が伝えている。クーフォスさんは7月11日にギリシャに渡ってチャッチフォシャデイスさんと会う予定だ。
クーフォスさんによれば、Facebookに記事を投稿した後、チャッチフォシャデイスさんを助けたいと思った人たちから、計4000～5000ユーロ（54万円～67万円）が送られてきたという。クーフォスさんは父親の遺産の一部をチャッチフォシャデイスさんの年金の支払いにあてるつもりだとも述べている。
父親の古い友人とはいえ、異国の見ず知らずの人をどうして助けようとしたのか、クーフォスさんは、オーストラリア版デイリー・メール紙に次のように語っている。
「私たち人間は、心を強く打たれると衝動的に行動することがあります。私は彼の写真を見て心を打たれ、とにかく何かをしなければならないと感じたんです」
この記事はハフポストUS版に掲載されたものを翻訳しました。
[日本語版：梅田智世/ガリレオ]
ギリシャの国民投票で「NO!」
Greece Bailout(01 of27)
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)
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)
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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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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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)
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)
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)
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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)
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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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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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