A resurfaced video shows a Black man breaking up a street fight in Atlantic City, New Jersey while giving the teenagers involved words of wisdom.
In the video, two boys who were throwing punches and slamming each other to the ground in the middle of the street were preparing to square up again before a good Samaritan approaches.
“Everyone recording with their phones, real cowards,” Ibn Ali Miller said as he called out the bystanders recording and laughing. “Ain’t cool man. Y’all in the middle of the street.”
One of the boys, who was wearing a white shirt, explained to Miller that he was defending himself in the situation and that it was unclear why his opponent wanted to fight in the first place. Miller told the other boy that he was “ill-advised.”
“Y’all almost men. You ain’t kids no more,” the adult stated to try to de-escalate the altercation. “Start acting like it. Don’t make your parents look like this.”
The crowd grew silent as Miller continued to talk: “Stop playing games.”
Miller instructed the teens to shake hands, but both hesitated while the crowd laughed. However, Miller would only leave once they made amends.
“They want y’all to be enemies. Now look! He can’t even stop smiling,” the man said while pointing to a bystander.
The two boys eventually dapped each other up before the video ended. Ali Miller’s notable lesson went viral online seven years ago with over thirty-five million views at the time.
The video caught the attention of the “Steve Harvey Show” which honored Miller as Harvey’s Heroes.
Sheldon Ward and Jamar Mobley also joined. Mobley revealed the fight was over a young woman. Adding that the fight was egged on by their peers while riding the school bus. “People that don’t even take our bus, hopped on our bus to see us fight.”
A year later, Ward and Mobley told CBS News that Miller’s lecture greatly impacted their lives.
“He said to us what a father should have said to us,” said Mobley, who shared that he never had a father figure.
Mobley and Ward were able to get past their differences and develop a brotherly bond while at the same time staying connected with Miller. Just like other Black men in their respective communities, Miller decided to be a mentor and lead the kids in the right direction.
“Once they know that someone’s paying attention, once they know that someone loves them, once they know that people are gonna be there for them and hold them to account, you know, they’ll rise to the occasion,” Miller added.
Miller has received numerous honors for his act of kindness. He received a leadership award from Stockton University and a $1,000 scholarship at the time. During an Atlantic City Council meeting, Miller was honored again where he was reportedly moved to tears.
Seven years later, the video has gone viral on X, bringing renewed attention to the trio.
Miller, a man of Muslim faith, has since moved to Yemen where he continues his commitment to his respective community. In a recent Instagram post, Miller reminded his followers about his good deed seven years while promoting his series, “Never Too Late.”
“Brother Ibn Ali Miller has continued to inspire others through his motivational speeches and community activism. Through his work, Brother Ibn Ali Miller exemplifies the power of compassion and empathy in fostering positive change in society.”
