Plumbing nonprofit repairs veteran sober living home for free
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - It's crucial to stick to a routine and be in a safe space if you are recovering from addiction. Having to move away from a sober living home, after a simple plumbing problem, could cause a relapse. A group of plumbers are making sure veterans can stay on their mission.
"This is their home. This is their sanctuary," said Chase Drake, who owns and operates The Valor House.
On Wednesday, plumbers fixed a costly repair at the sober living home. The Valor House is a safe space for veterans to combat addiction.
The best part is, this repair is on the house.
Drake is a recovering veteran himself.
"These guys are depending on me. I'm here for them. But, I'm also here for my mother," said Drake.
Right now, his mother is on Hospice Care.
Last week, he took a break away from caring for her to care for his tenants. That's when he found out there was a plumbing issue while someone was doing the dishes.
"He was like, 'It's really nice that you guys have heated floors here,'" said Drake. "We do not have heated floors. We felt the floor. It was hot. Immediately, I knew we had a slab leak."
A rush of water under the concrete caused a rush of panic.
Then, more chaos. Drake had to call an ambulance for his mother while getting a quote from Stacey Coe with Coe Plumbing.
"He was talking fast," said Coe.
She remembers the phone call. The army veteran herself was touched by Drake's work.
It just so happens, she and a group of plumbers just started the nonprofit United Partnership of Plumbing Contractors to provide help for free.
"We decided to form a group so we could do it collectively and help more veterans and help more elderly," said Coe.
Brandon Stanley, of Stanley Plumbing Services, is also part of the nonprofit.
"They've given their time to serve our country and we feel like it's our obligation to give back to them," said Stanley.
After the phone call, Coe texted Drake that the repair was completely free. A repair that she said would normally cost around $2,700.
"I just texted him to keep helping veterans," said Coe.
"I was in tears. I mean, I was like, overwhelmed. I didn't even know what to say. Took me a minute to respond," said Drake.
Drake said this repair can save his tenants' sobriety. If they had to relocate for hot water, it could cause them to relapse.
"Maybe they're at a hotel. They see an old friend. They see something they wanted before. I mean, there's a lot of potentials that could happen there," said Drake.
It's not just stopping water from flowing, it's about stopping addiction from resurfacing.
"Everybody in this house is somebody's son, somebody's daughter, somebody's dad, somebody's mom," said Stanley.
This was the United Partnership of Plumbing Contractors first repair under the nonprofit.