Sergeant Sam Horowitz did two tours overseas, one in Iraq, the other in Afghanistan. Now, local businesses are saying thank you by putting a new roof on his home.
It's a new, nationwide project called Roof Deployment, started by roofing and insulation company, Owens Corning. Sergeant Horowitz's roof is the first to be done in Palm Beach County and one of the first in Florida.
When Horowitz returned from Afghanistan, he came home to a leaking roof that couldn't withstand high winds.
"You come back and you have the stresses of repairs on a house and just discomforts, and you're worried about your home when you're away with hurricanes and things like that," Horrowitz said.
He was looking at more than $10,000 in repairs and his home insurance rates skyrocketed.
"It literally doubled the mortgage payment," he said.
The National Guard helped set Horowitz up with the Roof Deployment Project. He won't have to pay anything at all.
Owens Corning teams up with construction workers all across the country to provide supplies and labor for free for veterans with similar roof issues. In South Florida, Owens Corning provides the roofing supplies and Venture Construction Company of Florida provides the labor.
"They've given to us, so we want to do our part to help others, deserving veterans in the community," said Ed Palko, regional sales manager for Owens Corning in South Florida.
Crews started work on Horowitz's roof early Thursday morning and expect to finish by Friday.
"It's going to be really nice to go back inside and know that the roof's solid, or if I go to work, I know that my house would be fine through a hurricane or anything along those lines," Horowitz said.
Veterans in South Florida who need roofing assistance may apply for the program. For more information, contact Roseann Salsano, Family Assistant Specialist with Florida National Guard at roseann.j.salsano.ctr@mail.milor (305) 906-1191.