In Croatia, it seems, not all heroes wear capes.
Many fascinating stories of incredible gestures of kindness, total strangers assisting total strangers and pure goodwill for one’s fellow human beings are starting to appear.
On of those such amazing tales that restores your faith in humanity centres around one simple elderly villager who has got into fights with people who have offered him gifts in return for his unbelievable generosity towards strangers during the recent Marko Perković Thompson concert in Sinj.
The elderly gentleman from Sinj in question, who has rapidly gained fame as news of his incredible generosity has spread like wildfire, is known simply as Dida Iko.
The humble Sinjanin – real name Ivan Klarić – has captured the hearts of thousands across Croatia. While others charged €20–30 for parking during the celebrations, Dida Iko stood at his modest post, refusing money and turning away gifts. He argued not for profit, but for principle.
“I’m not working for Thompson,” he reportedly told one visitor, referencing to the famous Croatian singer who attracted a massive 150,000 plus attendance to his concert on Monday, “I’m working for the people.”
It’s a statement that has since gone viral, resonating deeply with citizens and sparking reflection on the values of service and selflessness. As many on various social media platforms have noted, every serious politician in Croatia – and indeed the world – should read those words several times over.
Locals watched in awe as Dida Iko single-handedly organised parking for more than 500 vehicles on an open field, adjacent to his vineyard, aligning them so precisely it seemed the land had been pre-marked.
His quiet dedication, coupled with an infectious humility, left many visitors stunned – and indeed moved.
“He may not be rich in material things,” one attendee was reported as saying, “but spiritually, he’s a millionaire.”
Dida Iko’s selfless actions are a reminder that true generosity asks for nothing in return, and that heroes often come not in uniforms or suits, but in everyday clothes and weathered hands. In a world too often driven by personal gain, his story is a breath of fresh air—and a lesson in what it means to serve with heart.
“It all happened very spontaneously, when he saw how long the line of cars was in our street and how people had nowhere to go,” his granddaughter told a reporter from the Split daily Slobodna Dalmacija.
“He had never experienced anything like that in his life – and he was born in that very house,” she continued, urging the reporter to cover the story so she could proudly show her grandfather how he’d made the newspaper that he reads on a daily basis.
“He started directing people to turn onto our family land. Car after car, and within a few hours, we had over 400 cars behind the house, right next to grandpa’s vineyard.
“People tried to give him money, drinks, and food, but he wouldn’t take anything and argued with people that he didn’t want anything. When someone asked, ‘Will you at least take a beer?’ he refused and said, ‘I don’t want anything, I’ve got my own wine.’
“Grandpa isn’t some huge Thompson fan, a so called “right-winger,” or a die-hard Croatian nationalist or anything like that. He’s just a good man, who he loves his town, and he felt sorry for the people,” she added.
During the concert, said the granddaughter, Dida Iko was asleep, and the cars were leaving the field on their own until 6–7am in the morning, helping each other get up the slope and out in the dark.
“In the morning, only one car was left – its battery had died – and the family of my Dida’s brother helped get it started.”
