Vietnam vet ‘forever grateful’ for new roof atop Fox Lake home

Vietnam War veteran Frank Kaczmarek is “forever grateful” after he and his wife, Jeannine, received a donated new roof atop their Fox Lake home and detached garage Tuesday.

“This spectacular. I can't tell you how much I am indebted to these people,” said Kaczmarek, who served in the U.S. Army. “It overwhelms you.”

Through a partnership with Lake McHenry Habitat for Humanity, the new roof was installed for free by Aurora-based D-Wing Construction, as part of the Owens Corning Roof Deployment Project.

The Roof Deployment Project is a nationwide effort to show gratitude and honor veterans and the families who support them. Since its inception in 2016, more than 775 veterans have received new roofs through the program.

Dave Mirra, owner of D-Wing Construction, said his company provided the labor, while Owens Corning provided the materials. The estimated value of the project is about $12,000, he said,

Christian Perez, Habitat for Humanity critical home repair coordinator, said Kaczmarek applied for assistance with work on his home. While some initial work was taking place, it was noticed that the Kaczmareks needed a new roof, he said.

That's where the Roof Deployment Project came in.

While watching workers lift packages of shingles on to the roof Tuesday, Kaczmarek reflected on his service in Vietnam, including his first day in a combat zone. He said the helicopter he arrived on hovered above the ground instead of landing, and he and fellow platoon members had to jump from a distance nearly equal to the height to the roof of his home, then roll on the ground to prevent injury.

He remembers the sounds of combat in the distance, and the screams of wounded soldiers.

Years later, he dealt with depression and posttraumatic stress disorder, along with feelings of anger about his service

Having the new roof is giving him a new perspective.

“It makes me feel like what I've done is really worthwhile. A lot of times I thought that being a vet was just (something) you had to be in life,” Kaczmarek said. “It shows people are concerned. It's really kind of nice.”