When the tornadoes swept through Seminole last May, they caused severe structural damage across the city, but for the Stillwells it was the emotional damage that they are still grappling with today.
“A pole fell on the house, and we had the insurance company come out,” said Ernest Stillwell, a Seminole resident.
That was the start of trouble for the Seminole couple.
“We’ve had trouble getting people to even come here and I have to tell them I have insurance,” Toni Stillwell said.
Most roofing companies didn’t even come out to assess the damage, but when the companies did, they found there was a problem with Stillwell’s insurance policy.
“Not enough to cover anything. You know, not even enough to cover the people who come down here to look at the roof,’ said Mr. Stillwell.
With no businesses interested in the job and not enough insurance money to pay for the roof, the Stillwells have been suffering from a leaky roof for nearly a year.
“We asked ourselves how we could do it. The insurance company wouldn’t do anything to anyone, and we had to do it,” Mr. Stillwell said.
Then, while watching News 9, Mr. Stillwell received divine intervention through a commercial.
“We were looking for someone who would do almost anything, and it was like, ‘Well, I’ll do that,’ so I said yeah, he’ll do it,” Mr. Stillwell said.
Then there was a bigger surprise.
“That looks like the man on TV. I said ‘he’s out,'” said Mr. Stillwell.
“I show up and get the biggest smile when he opens the door that I’m the actual guy who shows up because I was in the TV commercial,” said Erick Brown, owner of McCann’s Roofing.
After spending some time with the Stillwells and hearing their story, the solution was a no-brainer.
“It kind of, kind of has to be tightened, and my dear wife was like, ‘Why don’t we just do that,'” Brown said.
Today the $8,000 job for the Stillwells was done for free.
“There’s a saying about shouting kindness, and that’s what we’re about,” Brown said.
The sound of banging means one thing to homeowners.
“The job will be done. We’ll sleep well tonight. I wish it would rain,” said Mr. Stillwell.
The Browns say this is the first time they’ve given someone the roof for free, but it won’t be the last.
www.news9.com
http://www.news9.com/story/64125975feb2d8070d134d3f/local-roofing-company-replaces-roof-for-disabled-couple
