The nights are starting to get colder, but a donation is warming the heart of one local veteran and his family in their time of need.
Ed Kraus served in the Army for 11 years and was deployed in Iraq. But since he’s been home, times have been tough, especially because the veteran got locked out of his job at Allegheny Technologies after an ongoing contract dispute there.
“It’s been extremely hard,” Kraus said. “It’s been cold at nights. I mean, it hasn’t been a bad Pittsburgh winter yet, but it’s getting there. It’s still had a few cold nights.”
The furnace in Kraus’ Delmont home wasn’t just broken, but it was also leaking deadly carbon monoxide. But that’s where Gillece Services stepped up.
The company offered to donate a new furnace and all the work to install it for free.
“We appreciate what this gentleman has done for us as a country, as a veteran, and we’re happy to give back to him,” said Tom Eshenbaugh, an operations manager for Gillece.
Technicians installed the new furnace Wednesday morning, doing their part to help a veteran in need.
“It’s incredible,” Kraus said. “Gillece responded with, I mean less than a week they responded.”
Kraus, who loves in the home with his family, said he is looking forward to staying warm this winter while waiting to get back to work.
Since the ATI lockout began, Kraus has gone back to school and is close to earning a bachelor’s degree in business.
He also said he’s ready to take any job that might come his way.
