My name is Yevgeniy. I go by Gene and am 31 years old now. I would like to share a story about my experience with Rey Reynolds who is running for sheriff in Clark County.
I grew up in the local Vancouver area since 1998. I graduated from Union High School in 2009 where Rey Reynolds was the school police officer. In 2009, when wintertime came around, we had some snow cover the road surface. After school ended, I was leaving and decided to mess around and drift my car with several other students in the car. I ended up losing control and crashed into a chain link fence on the side of the road. Panicking, I left the scene not realizing that my license plate fell off.
An hour or so later, I got a phone call from officer Reynolds and he mentioned that he found something of mine. He asked for me to see him the next morning in his office before school started. Being really nervous, I still showed up and had a meeting with officer Reynolds. He looked at my grades and they were not very good at that time. He told me that due to my reckless driving and damaging property, as well as leaving the scene and endangering other students’ lives, he could easily expel me for the rest of the school year. If he was to do that then there was no way of me graduating.
Instead, he told me that he will not expel me and just gave me a warning with instructions that I needed to graduate high school so that I can better myself. I ended up having to stay late after school everyday for several hours to make up classes and was able to graduate. I got married to my high school sweetheart after high school and we now have 11-year-old twin girls and a 4-year-old son, as well as another child on the way. I was able to get a job right away after high school and did not have to struggle to finish my diploma some other way.
Now, I have a career in the diesel mechanical field and am doing very well. This was because at one point, someone chose to show mercy and compassion toward me instead of giving me what I would rightfully deserve. Rey Reynolds demonstrated to me what Jesus would have done to anyone that was at fault. He chose to lift me up and help me out instead of bringing me down and shaming me.
In 2021, I had another run in with Rey Reynolds. My brother’s 2-year-old daughter just died from cancer and we were gathered at the house. Rey Reynolds was in the area dealing with a homeless issue near a park and my kids were outside and ran into him. He and his deputy assistant gave my kids stickers and tickets to get slushy drinks at a local 711. My kids were really excited to get a treat from a local police officer. After that, he found out what the gathering was about. He came into the house to where he showed the utmost respect and prayed over the grieving family quietly in the corner with his arm stretched forward. I have the utmost respect for Rey Reynolds because he is not afraid to be a part of the community and the level of compassion I feel from him is outstanding.
Thank you officer Rey Reynolds for all that you do and for your hard work.
The Tupikov Family,
Vancouver
