Uber Driver Obtains College Degree After Passenger Pays Off School Debt

An Uber driver is celebrating a milestone in her education thanks to one of her passengers. Georgia State University student Latonya Young has always had dreams and aspirations of becoming a lawyer. During the day, she works as a hairstylist and in the evenings she makes extra money as an Uber driver. The two jobs keep her busy enough, but Latonya is also a devoted mother and student.

When Latonya picked up Kevin Esch from Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, she had no idea it would be a life-changing ride. The pair casually chatted during the drive and Latonya revealed that when she was just 16-years-old, she got pregnant and dropped out of high school. She later resumed her studies at Georgia State but had to drop out of college, as well, because she couldn’t afford the $700 balance on her account. The university put a hold on her account making it impossible for Latonya to continue her education and register for classes.

“Every time I got ready to pay the money, my kids needed something,” Latonya reportedly told WSB. “I said, ‘OK, I’ll just wait.'” Days after giving Kevin a ride, Latonya was notified that she could register. She’s now earned her associate’s degree in criminal justice and is preparing to register for her classes to obtain a bachelor’s degree. Latonya and Kevin kept in touch while she was back in school, and he said she made sure to maintain As and Bs in order to show him that she was serious and how much she appreciated his kindness.

“There was something about Latonya that just — she resonates with me and we developed an incredible friendship now and I am incredibly proud of what she’s done,” Kevin told CNN. “I could’ve bought new clothes or I could’ve helped someone out. And what has come back to me has come back a hundredfold and I would do it 1,000 times over.”