BARTOW, Fla. — It has been a year marked by health challenges for United States Army veteran Gregory Haitt, who underwent open heart surgery in the summer.
“I had an aneurysm on my aorta they removed it and replaced it with an arterial aorta. They also put in a new valve at the time because I had calcification. And when they were preparing for the surgery, they found blockage in both of my major arteries, so they did a double bypass as well,” Haitt said.
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Little did he know that while he was in the hospital for 21 days recovering, his wife, who is currently going through radiation treatment, had entered his name to be considered for a new roof.
The roof of his house is beginning to leak, and right now, the cost of their insurance is through the roof.
“When we bought the house the people that we bought it from didn’t permit anything. So, our insurance has been crazy because we don't have a permit for the roof,” Haitt said.
1st Class Roofing selected Haitt to receive a new roof, free of charge.
“It’s awesome and it couldn’t be at a better time,” Haitt said. “It’s a really big blessing to help us get things back on track.”
The company announced Haitt as the recipient during the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce Veterans Day Celebration.
“Our goal was to find a veteran who truly was having a hardship and needed this roof. Not just someone who just said it’s time to replace the roof but someone who was actually struggling to make that happen for themselves,” said Dovonna Roberts, President of 1st Class Roofing.
Every year, the Bartow Chamber of Commerce hosts its Hometown Heroes event on Veterans Day. This year they also paid special tribute to Vietnam Veterans who did not receive the welcome home they deserved.
“I’m thankful for our country and I'm proud that I was able to serve. There are a lot of my brothers and sisters in the military that have made a much larger sacrifice than I did,” Haitt said.
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