Elderly couple receives new roof

By Emma Richardson. 

Grandel's Roofing and Construction is just what the doctor ordered for this couple. 

For one Nebraskan couple, the sky falling was nothing new. Rick and Glenda Roasch have spent years overcoming one medical challenge after another. When their roof began leaking, it was just another downpour of stress.  

Living on a fixed income with mounting medical bills meant that home maintenance was deferred, ultimately resulting in leaks during rainstorms and snowmelt. While the couple knew the roof badly needed replacing, it simply wasn’t in the budget.  

Having undergone two back surgeries previously, Glenda was no stranger to the doctor’s office. But in 2015 she was diagnosed with mouth and throat cancer. This resulted in heavy radiation treatments as well as the loss of part of her tongue. Unfortunately, the bad news kept coming.  

She was diagnosed with and received treatment for lung cancer in 2022 and again in 2024 for lung and throat cancer. In total, she has undergone chemotherapy, immunotherapy, countless radiation treatments and has had nine lymph nodes removed. She still receives radiation twice a month.  

These obstacles have not prevented her from being a present mother, grandmother and friend. “Through it all, family members describe her as a fighter,” says Allison Peck of the North Platte Post. “The nomination noted that many people beyond their immediate relatives consider Rick and Glenda family.”  

Rick faces his own challenges as well. He has received multiple surgeries to resolve blood blockages in his legs and neck. He also has a rare lung disease and cataracts in both his eyes.  

With so many medical bills stretching the budget, Rick and Glenda thought they had no choice but to make do with their failing roof. Luckily, their community thought differently. When Grandel’s Roofing and Construction received Glenda and Rick’s nomination for their annual free roof giveaway, they found their winner.  

It may not be the cure for cancer, but receiving a new roof removed a huge source of stress, prevented further structural damage and greatly improved Rick and Glenda’s quality of life. For a couple that has more than enough on their plate already, that is an enormous relief. By providing a new roof, Grandel’s Roofing and Construction give Rick and Glenda the time and energy to focus on their heath and their loved ones more than ever.