Barney Fife has a facelift.
Early last month, Coffee County’s iconic mural of Barney Fife, along with a scene or two from The Andy Griffith Show, that adorns an old house on Highway 441 north of Broxton, was vandalized. Kayson Smalley, 18, was eventually arrested and charged in connection with the incident.
The mural, painted by local artist Dylan Ross in 2016, is being restored. Ross visited the mural this weekend and began the laborious task of returning Barney to his original condition. Ross documented the work on his Facebook page.
“I am not just fixing the mural for the property owner and the people of Broxton, but also for the kid who messed it up. 18 year olds have bad judgment and I would be a hypocrite if I said I never vandalized anything when I was younger. I don’t like seeing his mugshot and nasty comments shared all over the place. Not excusing what he did or the punishment he receives, but forgiveness goes a long way,” wrote Ross on his Facebook page.
Ross stated that he will complete the restoration this week but it will take another visit or two.
Smalley was arrested on September 13. He has since been released from the Coffee County Jail.