Dubai Mall Selfies, With Emirates Crew: 5 Times Judge Frank Caprio Won Residents' Hearts

On August 20, the world lost a compassionate soul with the passing of Judge Frank Caprio. Known as the "nicest judge in the world" for his kindness in the courtroom, Caprio passed away at the age of 88 following a "long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer".

The Rhode Island judge became a renowned name after his reality show 'Caught in Providence' gained global popularity with showing real humans with real cases heard in the Providence Municipal Court.

Many UAE residents were lucky enough to meet Caprio in person when the judge had visited the country twice - once in 2022 and then in 2023 - just before his cancer diagnosis.

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1. 'You came from Heaven'

Caprio had posted a video on his Instagram account of his visit to Dubai, calling it 'a warm welcome' as many fans excitedly came up to meet him. Shoppers at Dubai Mall were delighted to spot him, calling him an inspiration.

The video shows him smiling widely when shaking hands with fans, who came up to him to show how much they loved his compassion for people and their lives.“You came from Heaven. We all love you, all around the world,” said Algerian expat, Maha Bachiri, who shared her interaction with the judge on her social media account.

2. '11,000km from my home'

Caprio was a keynote speaker at the opening of the 12th edition of the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF 2023). "I am here in this beautiful cultural centre of Sharjah, 11,000km from my home, because of a message of compassion, mercy and understanding," he said.

"In a world that seems to be driven by conflict and division, people are yearning for kindness... that I find in my courtroom and here in Sharjah," he said, addressing the forum that was attended by several dignitaries, including the Sharjah Ruler.

3. 'A great honour'

He was also shocked to find that a couple in Dubai had named their son after him. The couple had travelled to Sharjah to meet Caprio when he visited the emirate for IGCF 2023.

Caprio said in a video on Facebook: "Kiran Joy and his family travelled a long way to see my speech, and introduce their son Francesco, who they named after me!"

Unfortunately, children were not allowed inside the venue so the family had to watch his speech from outside. However, Caprio's son called the family for a surprise visit to their hotel.

Here's a video of the heartwarming interaction:

4. 'Fascinated' Emirates crew member

Capiro was quite active on social media and often shared his experiences via Instagram Reels. On his way to the UAE in September 2023, he interacted with fellow travellers and the crew on his Emirates flight, and shared a video of it.

"I always watch his series on TV or YouTube, he makes me laugh," said a flight crew member. "I'm just fascinated by him, really."

5. 'Humbled by reception' in Abu Dhabi

Judge Frank Caprio attended the Abu Dhabi Family Forum in 2022, expressing his pride in being in the UAE. He also stressed that nothing grows properly without a strong family unit. "The family is the basic unit of any society... most successful people have a very strong family unit. You want lessons from your childhood, that is one of things that impresses me here," he said.

He praised the inclusivity and kindness in the UAE, saying he was truly humbled and overwhelmed by the reception. "The strength of a society lies in how they treat the less fortunate, not just the wealthy. It is truly fascinating for me to witness that here in Abu Dhabi," he said.

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