Construction company gifts Hattiesburg veteran new roof

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - Louis Bethley Jr. is a Hattiesburg resident and Marine Corps veteran who received a new roof.

The replacement was part of Owens Corning’s Roof Deployment Project.

Workers were out early Tuesday morning, hammering nails and removing the old roof.

“Their (Owens Corning) roof department project partnered with Purple Heart Homes, and Owens Corning is supplying the shingles,” said Watkins Construction & Roofing employee Michael Dier. “Beacon delivered the materials, and Watkins Construction & Roofing is providing the labor today.”

The project provides support to veterans like Bethley, who was permanently disabled after a train accident.

“We really like to honor and protect these veterans’ families from the elements,” Dier said. “So they’ve been doing this program since 2015, and it’s our second project to do.”

Bethley said he had been working on getting a new roof, but had to reconsider after tragedy struck.

“When my wife passed that took over $30k from my income,” said Bethley. “So now I try to do the best I can, but I’m not really looking to bother anybody or be a hamper on anybody, but at the same time I know I gotta get that done.”

The installation was completed at around 4 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

For more information on the project, CLICK HERE.

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