John Cyrulik Sr., a 103-year-old World War II veteran, was gifted a brand new roof Thursday.
He was nominated by his daughter-in-law and chosen out of about 100 applicants to receive a new roof from Ciriello and Sons Construction LLC.
As he watched work crews install the shingles, he said he wished he could help them work.
"My mother put us to work, she said it'll come in handy. I was in the army for 44 months, it'll really come in handy. My God, she was right!” Cyrulik said.
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“He’s been in the window for the last hour just smiling so happy, so as a company, it just makes us feel good inside," Andrew Ciriello, owner of Ciriello and Sons Construction LLC, said.
A little background on Cyrulik Sr. - he dropped out of school when he was just 16 years old to help take care of his nine siblings after his dad had passed. He was drafted a day before the attack on Pearl Harbor, and by mid-January was serving in the United States Army.
When he returned home, he became a Middletown firefighter and started a family.
They moved into the home on Westfield Terrace on Jan. 1, 1962 and John has been there ever since.
Cyrulik Sr.’s advice about living a long life was to work hard but not too hard, otherwise he says you may live longer than you'd like.
“Don't get old because its awful. Up to 80 years old is enough, after that, watch out," he said.
If you have a fellow veteran you'd like to nominate for a free roof, click here.
