99-Year-Old Hero Receives Roof for Free

By Cass Jacoby. 

WWII war hero is gifted a new roof for his home of sixty years as a show of gratitude for all he has sacrificed. 

World War II Veteran Charles Turner enlisted in the U.S. Army just before his twenty first birthday. Cpl Turner went through some of the most difficult battles that are renowned throughout our country's history. Now, 78 years later, the 99-year-old hero is being thanked with a new roof on his home of nearly sixty years.  

Charles has lived in his Henrico County, Virginia  home since 1964; it is where he raised three children with his late wife. This past July, three generations of Charles’ family and first responders gathered to surprise Charles with a new roof over his head that helps him maintain all of the love within the home. 

“I think it's absolutely wonderful,” Charles tells NBC 12. “I couldn’t be more thankful.”  

The roof is a gift from Valor Home as part of  SRS Distribution’s Raise the Roof Foundation. “We find a veteran in need and place a roof completely free” says Co-owner of Valor Home, Brian Bauer to NBC 12. “We quickly learned that veterans are often the last person to raise their hand for help.” 

Brian says that they build new roofs for up to 100 veterans a year as part of the foundation’s goal to invest in communities and give back to those who have served our country. One of the ways this foundation gives back is through their partnership with Habitat for Humanity where the two provide housing solutions for veterans through the Veterans Build program. 

“He’s always been kind, soft-spoken, loving, supportive. He told me I could do anything that anyone could do,” Charles’ daughter Carolyn Tbooth said. 

“Obviously you couldn't ask for a better recipient,” adds Brian. “He's fantastic. Ninety-nine years old, about to be 100.” 

 Charles says that he is touched by the community's kindness. “I think this is real nice,” says Charles. “Everything is real nice.” 

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Photo credit: Valor Home 

About Cass  

Cass works as a reporter/writer for RoofersCoffeeShop, AskARoofer and MetalCoffeeShop. When she isn’t writing about roofs, she is putting her Master degree to work writing about movies and dancing with her plants.