Navy Veteran Receives Apology Note After Being Shamed for Parking in Vets-Only Space

Navy Veteran Receives Apology Note After Being Shamed for Parking in Vets-Only Space
(Rebecca Landis Hayes)
Jack Phillips
6/22/2016
Updated:
6/22/2016

A veteran who found a note on her windshield saying she should “learn to read & have some respect” after she parked in a designated veteran’s spot, has received a handwritten apology letter.

The initial note blasted Rebecca Landis Hayes, who then posted it on Facebook with a reply saying she served 8 years in the U.S. Navy. “I’m sorry that your narrow misogynistic world view can’t conceive of the fact that there are female Veterans. I’m sorry that I have to explain myself to people like you,” Hayes wrote at the time. The post amassed tens of thousands of shares.

Hayes, a Charlotte, N.C., resident, said she received the letter in the mail from the reticent shamer, titled: “To the lady whose car I left a note on.”

The unnamed person who sent the apology, wrote “I immediately felt horrible about a situation—where I assumed I was standing up for someone.”

The person explained that they “happened to come across your post on Facebook ... I would like to apologize to you.”

The apology note (Rebecca Landis Hayes)
The apology note (Rebecca Landis Hayes)

 

“Clearly, this was not the case. You didn’t deserve that, and I hope you can accept this apology. I appreciate your service to this country and I highly respect military men and women. It was an error in judgment, and again, I’m sorry for that. Thank you for all that you’ve done,” it added.

The person didn’t leave a signature, but on the back it said, “re Harris Teeter,” which is where Hayes had initially parked. “I’ve seen so many young people park in retired vets’ spaces, along with handicap lately, and I lost my cool,” it said. “I’m sorry you were the one who got the result of that angry moment. I know it was a mistake and I’m glad I saw your post.”

 

Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
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