FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) – A military vet who says he fell victim to a scam is getting some holiday love from people in Fresno, California.
The scam cost the 92-year-old veteran a big chunk of his retirement. But he got it all back, and then some, thanks to the generosity of strangers.
You wouldn’t know it by his attitude, but WWII veteran Floyd Smith lost a huge part of his retirement savings to a man who’d done window work on his house shortly after his wife died.
Smith says that man, Mark Gleizer, claimed he was in real financial trouble.
Floyd loaned him about $10,000 and never got it back.
A lot of people saw Floyd’s story on ABC 30/KFSN and decided to do something. In fact, 374 people actually made donations to him totaling $12,472.60.
Floyd served in the Navy as World War II came to a close. He wants to go back to sea, or at least the beach, for a honeymoon with his new wife.
He doesn’t take it for granted that he gets a second chance.
A hotel in Cayucos also donated a two-night stay for Floyd and his wife.
And to be sure he can hear everything from now on, Beltone is donating some brand new hearing aids in January.
He acknowledges it’s not his ears, but his mouth that can get sometimes him in some trouble. Floyd said, “I tell you what. God has his arm around my shoulders and his hand over my mouth. hahha!”
But, for this wonderful occasion, he burst out in a little song for the newest love in his life.
With his new check in hand and his love by his side, he leaves us with a few words of wisdom. “Smile and the world smiles with you. Cry and you cry alone.”
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