76-year-old Oakland resident Miss Faye saw a car rolling down her West Oakland street. At first she thought it was a rideshare driver, but then a man jumped out of the car and attacked an elderly woman, trying to steal her bag.
Doorbell camera footage from Miss Faye’s home caught the moment when she came barrelling out of her house to defend her neighbor. Miss Faye held her cane over her head and rushed toward the vehicle, calling for her German shepherd dog Troy to help her. Miss Faye appears to spook the attacker, who quickly retreats back into the car and drives away, but not before Miss Faye can take a swing at him with her cane and then throw the cane at the car as it drives off. She then checks on the victim and helps her to her feet.
People around the world are praising Miss Faye’s actions and calling her a hero, but she says she was just being neighborly. She says we all need to watch out for our neighbors and that people need to be more aware of their surroundings. When asked if she was at all scared to go after the attacker, Miss Faye says fear never crossed her mind. “I'm crazy I guess," she jokes. "I don't know. It's just something that's in my nature.”