WWII vet's home renovation paused for months due to son's tragic death—then community stepped in to restore it

The man had moved in with his daughter, but he was really missing his family home.

PUBLISHED 9 HOURS AGO

(L) People working to renovate a house. (R) An old man with a big smile on his face. Getty Images | Hispanolistic; Portra Images

A home might be more than a roof and four walls to a person. For a World War II veteran, Alfred Guerra, his family home was a place that housed memories and had roses that he lovingly tended to and named after his late wife, Emma. But at one point, it had become unlivable and was in dire need of repairs. The man's son started working on the project and tore out the interiors, but unfortunately passed away from cancer, per Soldiers' Angels' website. At that point, the organization stepped in to help the man.

An old man looking out of the window with a somber expression. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Johnrob

The 95-year-old had chosen to live independently after his wife's passing, but after his son's death, his daughter, Maria Guerra, insisted that he should come and live with her. However, Guerra still missed his home and his roses after he moved in with his daughter in 2020. The family eventually put out a request on Facebook in hopes of getting the Purple Heart recipient back to his house. Many people, including organizations and companies, volunteered to help, but due to one situation or another, the repair work kept getting delayed and even in February 2021, the man's house was still unlivable. That is when Soldiers' Angels, an organization dedicated to helping military personnel, their families and veterans, stepped in.

People working to renovate a house. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Maskot

Although home repairs were not something the organization specialized in, they decided to do it because of the circumstances. "Although a home repair project isn’t something we would typically take on, the thought of this war hero being out of his home for that long is heart-wrenching. After all he has done for our country, the least we can do for him is give him a safe and comfortable place to live. Once I dug into the story and went to personally visit the home, I was certain that with our national reach and our local connections, we would be able to tackle this project for Alfred and get him back to his home and his rose garden," Amy Palmer, the president and CEO of Soldiers’ Angels, explained.

An old man standing outside his house with a big smile on his face. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Hinterhaus Productions

Palmer was able to get in touch with the local contractors and the cost for the repairs came up to $20,000, which the organization sought from people, NGOs and more. The work on the home started in May 2021 and the organization helped repair the interiors as well as part of the exteriors, so Guerra could live comfortably in the house and look after it easily. They planned to move the man back into his house in June 2021 and also planned a surprise for his beloved dog Chester. The man was finally able to move back into his house that also had a dog house, a raised vegetable bed, special sewn blankets, and a collage wall honoring the man's service, per an update.

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"This is an experience Alfred Guerra and his family will never forget and it’s all thanks to you!" the organization expressed. A year later, the man's daughter moved in to look after him. "He’s totally enjoying the new space he has; he especially loves his room and the colors we chose for it. Since he’s moved back in, we put a TV in his room and put his wing-back chair in there between the windows so he can see outside. He loves how the sunlight brightens his room and when he’s in there, he watches TV and enjoys watching his baseball games," Maria shared. The family was really thankful for all the work the volunteers put into the home.