Man whose Uber driver stayed with him in ER says they’re still friends 7 years later

Seven years ago, a college freshman named Joey Romano was skateboarding near the University of Texas at Austin when he swerved to avoid a car and slammed into a ditch, breaking his wrist.

Romano made a choice that would change his life, though he couldn’t have known it at the time: He called an Uber instead of an ambulance.

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“I didn’t have very good insurance, and I was worried about the cost,” Romano, now 29, tells TODAY.com.

When driver Beni Lukumu arrived, Romano was still lying on the ground. Carefully, Lukumu helped him into the car, reclining the passenger seat to minimize movement and pain. Their first stop was urgent care, but Romano’s injury was too serious, and he was quickly sent to the emergency room.