SEATTLE — Yolanda Galery thought she was doing the right thing by installing a steering wheel lock in her 2016 KIA Soul until she got a call from police saying her car was stolen.
The call came early on Tuesday morning, waking Galery and her husband, Antwon Vinson, up from bed.
Galery said her car was found abandoned and destroyed after thieves stole it from outside their home in Seattle's Central District neighborhood. All the windows were broken, her steering wheel was cut open, her son's car seat was missing, the thieves drew on the inside of the car, left drug paraphernalia and crashed the car. Galery's art pieces and paintings were still in the car, mostly untouched.
"They cut the wheel here with some kind of saw or tool," Galery said. "The worst thing was seeing my son's car seat was gone, so it's kind of like, what kind of person can do that?"
Not having their car is hurting their entire family, especially their son AJ.
"The biggest inconvenience is to get AJ to school," Vinson said.
AJ is 4 years old and living with non-verbal Autism.
Galery and Vinson are grateful the suspects only hurt their car.
"It's a pretty gross feeling to have someone riffling through my car," Galery said.
Instead of dwelling on the destruction, they are watching AJ closely for perspective on this situation.
"I have learned that you can't let your pride and ego block blessings that are meant and supposed to come to you," Vinson said. "Try to be our best and keep perspective on the entire situation."
For more information and ways to help the family, click here for their GoFundMe.