'We had to help': When Toms River disabled veteran had no heat, Wall company took action

TOMS RIVER - The joy of buying a home in Toms River wore off quickly for Sergio Agudelo and his family. A sump pump failed during the heavy rains of early October, flooding their furnace just as they were getting settled.

Agudelo is a 35-year-old disabled Army veteran. He purchased the three-bedroom house with the help of a Veterans Administration loan. A new furnace was going to cost several thousand dollars. It was out of his range, so for a month his family — including an 11-year-old son and a service dog — mostly lived without heat.

“It was really affecting my mental health,” said Agudelo, who served in the Iraq War in 2008-09 and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and a chronic lower-back injury from his infantry days. “I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t eat.”

Enter Tom Rostron Jr., a contractor and Navy veteran. This year for Veterans Day, his Wall-based heating and cooling company advertised a free HVAC system for a local veteran in need (something they’ve done on various occasions in the past). Applications came in, and Agudelo’s stood out.

'There's more of us than you think': Middletown man encourages fellow veterans with PTSD

“It really caught our attention,” said Jim Guiliano, the Tom Rostron Company's marketing director. “We knew we had to help Sergio right away.”

Rostron dispatched a technician to Agudelo’s home last week and his report heightened the urgency: Not only was the home’s temperature in the 50s, but the portable heaters Agudulo was using set off carbon monoxide alarms — a potentially deadly problem.

“I’m like, ‘Oh my God, we can’t have that,’” Rostron said. “I’m having dinner and said, ‘It’s three more weeks until we pick the family in need, but we can’t sit on this.’”

So on Tuesday, Rostron’s team installed a new furnace for free and raised it a foot off the floor in case the sump pump fails in the future.

“I’m lost for words,” Agudelo said. “I’m just grateful. I’m in disbelief.”

Honoring veterans:Neptune vet being recognized for military service with Quilt of Valor

Rostron said he was moved to learn that Agudelo juggled a part-time job and volunteering for Vetwork, a Lacey-based charity that helps local veterans.

“He’s hard up for money and he’s still out there helping veterans, and I’m in a position to help him,” Rostron said. “I didn’t want him to deal with any more stress.”

It was on Veterans Day when Agudelo found out he’d be getting a new furnace.

“When they called, I was in tears,” he said.

'What Bronze Star?': Wall Vietnam veteran battles red tape, gets medal 55 years later

Here’s the icing on the cake: Rostron is still accepting applications for someone else to get a free HVAC system. That initiative remains on its regular schedule, with a recipient to be decided the first week of December.

That made Agudelo feel good and inspired him to call the Asbury Park Press, to spread the word about the good deeds and encourage others to apply.

“I wanted to pay it forward,” he said. “I figured to just let people know that there are good people out there, people who care.”

For more information about Tom Rostron Company's free HVAC giveaway, visit the company’s website www.tomrostron.com or Facebook page www.facebook.com/TomRostronCompany.

Jerry Carino is community columnist for the Asbury Park Press, focusing on the Jersey Shore’s interesting people, inspiring stories and pressing issues. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Toms River NJ veteran had no heat, so this Wall business took action