World War II veteran in Haskell receives free new roof on Veterans Day

HASKELL, OKLA. — A World War II veteran in Haskell received a special thank-you this Veterans Day as a local roofing company replaced his aging roof completely free of charge.

Darl Briggs, a Navy veteran who has lived in his Haskell home since 1961, spent Veterans Day sitting on his tractor outside his house, watching crews install a brand-new roof.

For Briggs, the work brought much-needed relief after years of dealing with leaks that threatened some of his most cherished belongings.

“Oh it’s huge. It was getting my church books wet. It was getting my veteran memories wet,” Briggs said.

According to Jonathan Marsh, owner of Tier One Roofing and Construction, Briggs’ roof was approximately 30 years old and had around 20 leaks.

The replacement was made possible through Recovering Oklahomans After Disaster (R.O.A.D.), an Oklahoma nonprofit focused on helping residents prepare for and recover from disasters.

The organization recently launched its R.O.A.D. Ready Roofs program, which provides free roof replacements for eligible low-income Oklahoma seniors whose roofs have reached the end of their useful lives.

The program is designed to protect vulnerable homeowners from future storm damage while helping them remain safely in their homes.

Tier One Roofing and Construction partnered with the nonprofit to provide Briggs with his new roof.

Marsh said meeting Briggs made the decision to help especially meaningful.

“He’s just such a great soul. As soon as I met him, I was, we gotta take care of this guy,” Marsh said.

Briggs served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He said his military service gave him an opportunity to help others, something that has remained important to him throughout his life.

As crews worked on his home, Briggs reflected on what it meant to receive help from others after spending much of his life serving his country and community.

The new roof will help protect the home he has lived in for more than six decades, including the books and military memories he treasures.

For Briggs, the gesture was deeply emotional, especially on a day dedicated to honoring those who served.

“Now I can’t even help myself but I’m being helped and I just wanted every veteran to know I love them,” Briggs said.