Truth behind viral video of woman's 'crazy' vacuuming act
A woman filmed using a vacuum to clean the concrete footpath outside her home has offered an explanation for the bizarre act, which saw her framed as “crazy” when the footage went viral on social media.
Cathy Rodriguez used her stick vacuum cleaner on the path at her home in Yakima, in the US state of Washington, and was widely perceived to be high on drugs.
She has since spoken about the true reason for her kerbside antics, telling local news channel Kima TV that she was actually cleaning up glass debris after a car smashed into her family’s van on January 20.
An alleged uninsured drunk driver rammed into the car while it was parked at the front of the house in the middle of the night - completely writing off the van, which was the family’s main source of transportation.
Ms Rodriguez said she was concerned for the safety of pedestrians and their pets who frequently use the path, and used the vacuum cleaner because the glass was particularly difficult to remove with her hands alone.
“I didn't know what else to do, I was thinking about other people and the other animals and I didn't want them to get hurt,” she told the network.
“I'm not a druggie and I'm not crazy, I was thinking of others.”
The footage had been shared to Facebook by a man named Brandon Tatro, who has since apologised and removed the video from the social media site.
A GoFundMe page has since been established to help pay to repair the van, which had been lent to the family from a neighbour.
Among the donors, was the man who filmed Ms Rodriguez vacuuming the footpath.
Despite the initial goal being set at A$6,000, more than$15,000 has been raised for the family in just six days.
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