CAROLINA FOREST, SC (WBTW) – A Carolina Forest veteran is headed to New York after an eviction.
Veterans Outreach Program Specialist Chris Aranda, with the Department of Veterans Affairs, told News13 the veteran, identified as Tom, was released from the hospital around 3 p.m. on Wednesday and was dropped off at a homeless shelter.
When VA members went to the shelter, the veteran wasn’t there, Aranda said. The members went looking for the veteran and found him on Oak Street.
The veteran stayed in a hotel overnight, where he was able to shower and sleep in a bed, Aranda added. On Thursday, volunteers from various vet organizations helped the veteran load the rest of his things before he heads to New York to stay with family and friends.
“Very unfortunate event that he came home to this, but veteran community stepped up once again and ensured we leave no veteran behind,” Aranda said.
News13 is not using the veteran’s last name for his protection.
Sterling Management, which runs Canterbury Appartments said to us in a partial statement “Due to the nature and sensitivity of the matter, it is taking us time to ensure we’re delivering facts in a thoughtful manner. It is the customary practice of Sterling Management to respect the privacy of its tenants and not to comment on specific situations involving its tenants.”
News13’s Elisia Alonso spoke to the veteran and volunteers.
“I will never leave a veteran behind. If there’s a veteran in need, if there’s a veteran in the street, if a veteran just needs a meal – I’m there,” said Chase McCarthy.
Some volunteers stayed overnight to protect Tom’s property.
“We basically just stayed here to make sure that what was left of his property was, that nobody else looted or messed with anything else. A lot of his stuff had already been taken. To my understanding it had been here a few days already,” said Chuck Hooks.
On Wednesday, News13 reported that pictures on social media have people talking after the veteran was evicted from his apartment.
Christopher Trinemeyer, who is the Assistant Director for Operation Veteran Reintegration, has been looking after the 72-year-old Vietnam veteran.
This picture (provided by a News13 viewer) shows the veteran’s belonging sitting out after the former marine was apparently evicted from his apartment at the Canterbury Apartments.
Trinemeyer tells us the veteran suffered a heart attack at around the same time he got the eviction notice and only recently got out of the hospital.
Several neighbors told News13 that some people are stealing items that belong to the veteran.
“To see somebody’s whole life just, you know, sitting there in the rain — I mean, it’s a huge amount of empathy that I have for another human being to — especially talking to him,” Trinemeyer said. “He was like, I don’t want to go see it today, I don’t want to do it tonight. he was like, I will do it in the morning. we’re like, okay.”
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