Paying It Forward: Nonprofit Gives New Roof To Baltimore Vietnam War Veteran
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A blind Maryland veteran received a new roof just in time for the new year.
Workers scaled ladders onto Rigoberto King-Levy's roof on Friday, finishing repairs to the northeast Baltimore home.
"It's very emotional. It's hard to really get a grip on everything," his wife Joyce said.
The project was the work of the nonprofit group Purple Heart Homes, which teams up with roofing companies to improve the lives of veterans.
When Rigoberto had his sight, the Panama native, who immigrated to New York, joined the U.S. Army.
"(I) volunteered for Vietnam," he said. "And the guys said, 'You've got to be crazy. Nobody volunteers for Vietnam.' I said, 'I will. These guys need help. Let me go help.'"
Nearly 50 years later, Purple Heart Homes entered the picture.
"He was actually stationed at Fort Hood, which is the same place I was stationed, so it was extra special for me," said Eric Consuegra with Arocon Roofing and Construction.
Consuegra supplied the time and labor for the project, which was supposed to get done last week but got rained out.
In total, the project, including new gutters and soffits, would have cost around $14,000, money King-Levy didn't have.
"I was very, very impressed. My heart got filled," King-Levy said. "I said, 'I'm not the only one who likes to help. Look at these guys out here.'"
Roofing company Owens Corning has provided new roofs to more than 140 other veterans nationwide.
