Thomas MacMillan Photo
Reyes (center), with Lopez (left) and Luiz.
Three weeks after a chance meeting in court brought help to an elderly landlord who had run afoul of the law, roofers were at work fixing a leaky roof at her house on Shepard Street.
They were there thanks to the efforts of Angelo Reyes, a Fair Haven developer who stepped in to help property owner Joanne Keyes.
Keyes, a 78-year-old retired Wilbur Cross English teacher, found herself arrested in June after her niece — a tenant — fell from the the second floor porch of the three-apartment Newhallville house when a rotted railing gave way. The city slapped her with 28 counts of code violations, including having a leaking roof.
When Keyes came to court on July 1, she ran into Reyes, who was there for an (arson) case of his own. He offered to help her make needed repairs to her property.
94 Shepard St.
This week, Reyes stopped by 94 Shepard St. to unload packs of shingles and sheets of plywood for roofers he’s enlisted to work on the place. He said he stopped by the Lowe’s hardware store on Rt. 80, and the store offered to donate all the materials needed to fix the roof.
The second-story balcony railing has already been replaced by Keyes. The leaking roof is the biggest of the remaining problems, Reyes said.
The roof needs “a complete rip-down,” Reyes said. Luis Lopez and Roberto Luiz of Naranjo and Sons roofers said they were pulling off five layers of old shingles. Reyes said he’s got a donated dumpster lined up to haul away the removed roofing.
Old shingles removed from the roof.
Reyes said he was moved to help when he saw the situation Keyes was in. “I just felt bad for her.”
“My thing is, she’s been here her whole life. She’s probably helped other people.”
“I’m delighted,” said Keyes, who pulled up in the passenger seat of grey sedan driven by her daughter Daphine Shepard.
“It’s like an angel,” Shepard said. “Thank God for Angelo.”
“I think this is a blessing,” Keyes said.
She said the second and third floors are unoccupied.
Reyes said workers will take care of the left half of the roof first, then come back and work on the right, and fix the visible sagging roof over the front porch. He said he’s also looking for donations of windows to replace some of the old ones on the front of the house.
Keyes expressed her gratitude to Lowe’s for the roofing supplies. “Please tell them we said thank you so very much.”
He's an angel. Maybe he shouldn't be sent to jail for burning down buildings and putting fire fighters in mortal danger?