His name was Vicha Ratanapakdee.

He died on Saturday, January 30, 2021.

He was a Thai American man. He was an immigrant. He was 84 years old.

He was a son. He was a grandfather. He was a father. He was a husband. He was a brother. He was an uncle. He was a cousin. He was a friend.

He had a wife. He had two daughters. He had seven brothers and sisters.

His wife’s name is Jintana. His daughters’ names are Monthanus and Pasama. His two grandsons’ names are Titus and Troy. His only living brother’s name is Surachai.

Vicha was affectionately known in his neighborhood in San Francisco as "Grandpa." He is affectionately known by the world as "Grandpa Vicha."

Vicha’s daughter, Monthanus Ratanapakdee, standing with her husband, Eric Lawson, holding a photo of her late father. (Photo from Dion Lim)

On the morning of Thursday, January 28, 2021, at 8:28 am, 84-year-old Grandpa Vicha was tackled to the ground at full speed, by a 19-year-old man named Antoine Watson.

As Vicha left his house to go on his daily morning walk, in his quiet neighborhood of Anza Vista in San Francisco, Antoine was sitting in his car with his girlfriend. When Antoine saw Vicha walking down Anzavista Avenue, he got out of his car, sprinted across the street, and violently slammed Vicha into the ground.

When Vicha's frail body hit the pavement, his head jerked upwards, and his head and body slammed into a garage door. A police officer eventually found Vicha lying in the street and rushed him to the hospital.

Vicha never regained consciousness. Two days after the brutal attack, he died from a brain hemorrhage.

Vicha died at 6:07 am at San Francisco General Hospital.

Neighbours and well-wishers left flowers and signs near where Vicha Ratanapakdee was killed. (Photo by Mark Leong of The Washington Post)

Vicha was short, thin, and nearly blind. He stood at 5 feet 6 inches and weighed 113 pounds. Nine months prior to the attack, Vicha had successfully undergone heart surgery. His doctor told him to walk every day for exercise.

Once it was safe for him to travel again, Vicha was planning on returning to Thailand — to eat his favorite southern Thai foods, and to see his youngest daughter, extended family, and friends.

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Vicha holding his eldest daughter, Monthanus, in 1973. (Photo from Monthanus Ratanapakdee via The New York Times Magazine)

Vicha was born on Saturday, December 5, 1936, in Thailand. He was one of eight children.

As a child, Vicha was very studious. He was one of the only people in his village who could speak English fluently. He was always curious about the world outside of his family's farm in Thailand.

Vicha studied at Thammasat University in Bangkok, one of Thailand’s most prestigious institutions. He went on to work as an auditor at Kasikornbank, one of Thailand’s largest financial institutions.

Vicha and his wife, Jintana, on their wedding day in 1970. (Photo from Monthanus Ratanapakdee via The New York Times Magazine)

Vicha got married to his wife Jintana in 1970. He retired in 1996.

Five years ago, in 2017, Vicha and his wife traveled to San Francisco to live with their eldest daughter, Monthanus Ratanapakdee, and their son-in-law, Eric Lawson, to help take care of their two grandsons, Titus and Troy. During that time, he became known as "Grandpa" throughout their neighborhood, where he made it his daily practice to go on morning walks every day.

Vicha holding his eldest grandson, Titus Lawson, in 2009. (Photograph from Monthanus Ratanapakdee via The New York Times Magazine)

Vicha was a devoted Buddhist. He loved tennis, golf, and music. He loved to travel the world.

Vicha's daughter said she will always remember her father as a gentle soul.

Vicha was his daughter's everything. He was her closest confidante. If she had something on her mind, she could always ask him for advice. He was the stable and calming presence in their family.

He was the nicest and kindest man.

Following Vicha's death, his daughter said: “My mother is suffering so much. She speaks to him, holding his picture, while praying. She suffers deeply from losing my father. It has also affected her health."

Vicha's family scattered his ashes in the Pacific Ocean near the Golden Gate Bridge. Vicha’s funeral was conducted by Thai monks at a Buddhist temple.

Remember Grandpa Vicha.

With love,
Jieun