The family of a California autistic boy received a pleasant surprise on Monday when they were gifted a new vehicle by a local car dealership.
Earlier in the summer, 10-year-old Alfredo Morales was attacked by a man after the boy reportedly damaged the hood of his $146,000 sedan.
The incident was caught on video, and as the clip made its rounds online, communities rallied behind Alfredo and his family to show support.
The family of an autistic 10-year-old has been gifted a new vehicle following disturbing footage of an attack going viral
Earlier in June, viral footage showed Alfredo sitting on a bus bench with his older sister who can be heard saying, “Sorry, [my brother] is autistic. He has special needs” to Scott Sakajian of Sun Valley.
This, however, did not deter the man as he proceeded to slap Alfredo before pointing an accusing finger at him.
Shortly after, a family friend created a GoFundMe page, writing, “They are currently homeless and any help will hopefully help them get into some housing” since they had been living out of a truck for a period of time.
The initial goal was to raise $10K USD but communities surpassed this number with a shocking $97,860 USD total.
Scott has since been charged with willful cruelty to a child and battery on a person.
The family had no intentions of trading their old, damaged car for a new one
When the family brought in their 2010 Ford F-150 to Airport Marina Ford for repairs, the team noticed it was almost beyond saving, as the vehicle needed a new transmission, engine, and the interior would have to be completely removed.
“Dan got the Ford to come into the dealership,” said Jamie Bishton, NOARUS Auto Group president. “We saw it on the flatbed and we were like, ‘uh oh, this needs more than just a repair.’”
So, their solution was to give the Morales family a brand new 2023 Ford Explorer.
Dan Theoroux, the general manager at Airport Marina Ford stated, “If there’s a child involved in a situation like that, and the condition of living in the other vehicle, and trying to survive out of that, and then that vehicle being as bad as it was, it was just the right thing to do.”
The vehicle also came with a Gold Certified warranty, which meant the truck could be taken to any Ford dealer for repairs if the family ever faced troubles.
The community’s support has opened new and unimaginable doors for the Morales family
Alfredo is now attending a new school that specializes in helping children with autism, thanks to the plentiful donations and assistance they’ve received.
They are additionally working on finding permanent housing and have hopes of reopening their restaurants they permanently closed in August 2023.
“Amazing. I don’t have words to say,” said Alfredo’s father Miguel Morales. “It’s crazy. I don’t have to say nothing. I don’t have words, just say thanks. You know, thank God.”
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