OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — What started as a simple insurance call about a leak turned into a life-changing surprise for one longtime Oklahoma City resident. Statia Rector, 95, is now the recipient of a brand-new roof—free of charge—thanks to the generosity of a local construction company committed to giving back.
Rector, who lives in a home built in the 1920s in northeast Oklahoma City, said her house has a deep history. Her mother moved into the home in the 1950s, and Rector herself took it over in the late 1980s. The last time the roof was replaced, she said, was nearly 40 years ago.
“The house is old,” Rector said. “If God has given you the years, then thank him for them.”
The aging roof began to show signs of serious wear. A leak developed above her bathtub last year, and another appeared in the dining room just a few months ago. With limited resources, Rector said her plan was simply to fix leaks as they came.
“I had already decided I was not going to put a roof on this old house,” she said. “Just fix the leaks when they happen.”
That plan changed when Rector contacted her insurance provider, who connected her with Joe Knapp of Excel Construction Group. Knapp inspected the roof and quickly realized the situation was much worse than it seemed.
“This roof was absolutely not up to code,” Knapp said. “There were multiple layers of shingles on top of rotted decking. The water was penetrating through the shingles.”
Rather than suggest piecemeal repairs, Knapp brought the issue to the attention of the company’s owners. Moved by Rector’s situation and her decades-long ties to the home, Excel Construction Group made the decision to donate a full roof replacement—an estimated $10,000 value.
“I put it in the hands of the Lord,” Rector said.
“And I said, ‘I guess God put me in a position to help you, so that’s what we’re doing,’” Knapp recalled.
On Monday, crews from Excel Construction Group began work on the home, installing new decking, proper ventilation, and fresh shingles—finally giving the house the protection it desperately needed.
For Rector, the gesture was more than a home improvement—it was a gift of security and kindness, and a reflection of what it means to be part of a caring community.
