An Alexander City, Alabama, police officer and military veteran was thanked for his service to the country and dedication to the community with a surprise home renovation from fellow law enforcement and local businesses.
A group of law enforcement officers surprised Staff Sergeant Donald McCook on the morning of October 27 with the news that he was going to have his home renovated.
“I can’t even put into words how to say thank you,” McCook said. “I never expected anything like this. I don’t ask anybody for anything. There is plenty of other people out there that deserve this and could use this just as much if not more than I can, but thank you very much.”
Over the next several days, 45 volunteers helped replace the home’s roof, pressure wash, paint and landscape.
Dunning Roofing CEO Andrew McGreer came up with the idea to help the officer after hearing that McCook’s insurance wasn’t willing to cover expenses for repairs to the roof.
“It was a lot of money to fix it and was well beyond what we anticipated and so I decided to say, ‘Look there are people in life who deserve things, and as a Purple Heart recipient, I just knew we needed to do something for this man,’” McGreer said.
McCook served for 15 years in the Alabama National Guard’s 214th Military Police Company in Alex City and received a Purple Heart after being wounded in Iraq.
“All I’ve done is just try to be a good person and do the right thing and served when I need to serve,” McCook said.
The total estimated value of the renovation is around $50,000.
Fellow officer Sergeant First Class Jose Garcia with the 214th Military Police Company said if anyone deserved recognition, it’s McCook.
“You’re not going to find anybody more selfless and more giving than Donald McCook. No matter what his ailments are or what his illnesses are, he’s going to continue to work and give to his other soldiers as he does for his community as a police officer,” Garcia said.
The project was made possible with the combined efforts of Dunning Roofing, Mortgage Pro, Big Fish Real Estate Group, United Way, Lake Martin Civitan Club, Team Depot and Home Depot Veterans.
