Pitch-perfect PATRIOTISM
West Mesa resident salutes the armed forces with a star-spangled roof
For years, Rick Gabaldon has daily displayed an American flag from a bracket screwed to a beam on his front porch. Today, just in time for the Fourth of July holiday, Gabaldon is living under a significantly larger flag — two of them, in fact.
In a gigantic gesture of patriotism, a new roof covering Gabaldon’s West Mesa home is made of red, white and blue metal panels arranged to form American flags. The flags — one on each side of the roof — are roughly 30 feet by 70 feet, and they can readily be seen from throughout the neighborhood.
“It’s intended to be a tribute to all past and present military and their families, because a person’s military service also affects mothers, fathers, children and wives,” said Gabaldon, 60.
Besides, “What’s better than an American flag?” he asked. “We all live in America. We might not agree on everything all the time, but America is what she is, be she right or wrong, and we should be proud of that.”
Gabaldon, who works as a funeral
director at the family-owned Gabaldon Mortuary, and his fiancée, Josie Salazar, share the house where they are helping to raise three of Gabaldon’s grandchildren.
Although Gabaldon never served in the military, his father and Salazar’s father served during World War II, and three of Salazar’s brothers served in the military, he said.
Many of Gabaldon’s neighbors, including some veterans, were a bit skeptical when the red, white and blue metal roof panels started going up. “They were a little freaked out at first about the idea of 30-foot by70-foot flags, but after I explained what I was doing and why I was doing it, they were on board.”
Now, those neighbors, as well as total strangers, he said, “drive by and wave and give a thumbs up.”
The veterans among those strangers “would stop and talk to us, take some pictures and then salute the flag before leaving.”
Gabaldon said he has been a longtime supporter of organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Paralyzed Veterans of America.
“There are many veterans organizations out there and many veterans who need help,” he said. “I know that our government does what it can for them, but it’s also up to us to help and support them in any way we can.”
His flag roof is one way of taking his own advice, but it’s also intended to “inspire others to do something to show their patriotism and honor our armed forces, both past and present,” he said.
“America is our home, and we’re well-protected and live in the most wonderful country on this Earth. So, to active-duty military and to veterans I say thank you for what you have given us.
“We are who we are because of who you are.”