Post election fallout results in elderly veteran's vehicle being vandalized

Although there haven't been any post-election protests in Fallbrook, one elderly veteran had his vehicle vandalized two days after Donald Trump's upset victory over Hillary Clinton for the presidency of the United States of America.

On Nov. 10, an 82-year-old man returned to his car parked outside the Silvergate Retirement Residence on the 400 block of Elbrook Dr. and discovered that the words "F--- Trump" had been spray painted on the right side of his silver four door sedan and "666" on the back of it.

The man reported the vandalism to the Fallbrook Sheriff's substation at 9:29 a.m. and by that time photos of the car were already being spread via social media.

"I had a picture by 10 a.m. (Thursday)," said longtime Fallbrook resident Vickie Knox, who was at her workout class when she received an email from a friend that included a photo of the car. "It (the photo) was going around and everybody was appalled."

The following day Knox happened to spot the car and subsequently the owner of the vehicle.

"I was walking out of Graybill (Medical Group on Main Ave.) and I saw him getting into his car and I was heartbroken," said Knox. "Here was this sweet old man. It was Veterans Day and he had his patriotic suspenders on and his crisp white shirt. I was just so moved.

"I went up to him and told him I was super sorry for what happened to him," continued Knox. "He was just so gracious. He did tell me he was a veteran and I wished him a happy Veterans Day. He said he lived at Silvergate and his car was the only one it happened to, and that he was very thankful that it was only his vehicle. I thought, wow, this guy is really amazing."

The more Knox talked to the man the more she was impressed by him.

"He said he wasn't angry about it, just sad,'" said Knox. "He said, 'I forgive them – whoever did this is hurting.' You could tell there was no bitterness to him."

The man's vehicle had no political stickers on it and apparently was just randomly chosen by the vandal(s).

"He repeated that he was 'so thankful' that it was only his car," said Knox. "He was just positive and happy and had such a great attitude. Honestly, it brought me to tears. It was a few minute encounter and he blessed me more than I blessed him."

The man told Knox that people had already offered to help him get his car repainted. "That's Fallbrook," said Knox.

Lt. David Gilmore, commander of the Fallbrook Sheriff's substation, said that as of Nov. 14 there were no suspects in the spray painting incident. Gilmore added there were no other post election related incidents in Fallbrook.