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A 10-year-old autistic boy from California who was slapped by an irate Mercedes driver a few months ago received the surprise of his life recently when he was given an SUV. The incident, which occurred in July 2024, was caught on camera and went viral, causing massive outrage.
In the footage, Alfredo Morales was seen seated on a bus bench alongside his older sister when a visibly angry man, identified as Scott Sakajian, slapped him in the face. The incident reportedly occurred after Alfredo touched the emblem on the hood of Sakajian's $1,46,000 Mercedes-Benz sedan. The incident led to Sakajian being charged with child cruelty and battery.
Alfredo's family, who had been living out of a heavily worn 2010 Ford F-150 due to financial hardship, soon became the focus of local support. On November 11, 2024, when they took their vehicle to Airport Marina Ford in Los Angeles for repair, the dealership surprised them with a brand-new 2023 Ford Explorer, worth around $36,000.
“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,” Dan Theroux, the general manager at Airport Marina Ford, was quoted as saying by ABC 7. He explained that the Morales' old truck required costly replacements, including a new transmission and engine. The new SUV comes with a Gold Certified warranty, allowing the family to visit any Ford dealership for future maintenance.
Jamie Bishton, president of NOARUS Auto Group, shared that after inspecting the old truck on its arrival, they quickly recognised it needed more than just a few repairs. “Dan got the Ford to come into the dealership. We saw it on the flatbed and we were like, ‘Uh oh, this needs more than just a repair,'” Bishton said.
Since the incident, support has come from various quarters, including a GoFundMe campaign launched to help the family. The fundraiser's page states, “Alfredo was the victim of a grown man slapping him at the bus stop. He has severe Autism and his family is in desperate need of help. Any help would be greatly appreciated by them. They are currently homeless and any help will hopefully help them get into some housing.” At the time of writing, the campaign had raised $98,285, far surpassing its initial $10,000 target.
Reflecting on the community's kindness, Alfredo's father, Miguel Morales, expressed his gratitude, saying, “Amazing. I don't have words to say… just say thanks. You know, thank God.”
The Morales family also hopes to eventually reopen their restaurant, which was closed in August 2023.