08/21/2026
Sometimes, it’s about so much more than a roof. ❤️
This is a longer story than we typically share, but it’s one we believe is worth telling. Not because we want recognition. Not because we want a pat on the back. But because this story has been a powerful reminder to us that you never truly know what the person standing next to you is going through—and sometimes God puts people in our path for a reason.
Back in February, Dewey met a man named Xiong through a completely ordinary Facebook Marketplace transaction.
They had arranged for Xiong to meet Dewey at his house at 9:00 one Tuesday morning. When 9:30 rolled around and Xiong hadn't arrived, Dewey sent him a text asking if he was still coming.
Xiong quickly apologized. He had forgotten that he had a chemotherapy appointment that morning. Needless to say, Dewey immediately felt like a total jerk.
Xiong came by after his appointment, and what started as a Facebook Marketplace transaction turned into a conversation. That conversation turned into another. And eventually, an unexpected friendship began. As they got to know one another, they bonded over their shared love for hunting, fishing, and Labradors. Eventually, the subject of work came up. When Dewey mentioned that he was the president of 1st Team Exteriors, Xiong shared a frustrating situation his family had been dealing with at their St. Paul home.
Their roof had been damaged during a hailstorm in 2022. Because of the way their insurance claim had been settled—with an Actual Cash Value (ACV) policy and significant depreciation—Xiong and his family simply couldn't afford to replace the damaged roof at the time. Eventually, they lost insurance coverage on the damaged roof altogether.
And all the while, Xiong had something much bigger on his plate. He has been fighting lymphoma since 2021.
As Dewey and Xiong continued talking, Dewey couldn't shake the feeling that had been placed on his heart. He felt called by the Lord to find a way to help this family. So a few phone calls were made. Dewey reached out to two of our valued industry partners, Rick Eastman with IKO and Brad Holden with SRS Building Products, shared Xiong's story, and asked what we could do.
People stepped up.
Together, we were able to find a way to make replacing Xiong's roof affordable for his family. And last week, that roof was finally built.
For Xiong, it means one less thing to worry about while he focuses his energy where it belongs: fighting lymphoma and spending time with the people he loves. It also means something incredibly important for his family—their home once again has a sound roof over it, and Xiong was able to obtain insurance coverage on the roof again.
But perhaps our favorite part of this entire story has nothing to do with shingles, insurance, or construction. Dewey made a friend. What started with a missed 9:00 a.m. Facebook Marketplace meeting has turned into a friendship that already has plans for duck hunting and fishing this fall—and, God willing, many more adventures after that.
Life has a way of reminding us that we're all human. Every person we encounter has a story we can't see. The stranger who is running late, the person who seems distracted, the neighbor having a difficult day—we have no idea what battles they may be fighting behind closed doors. Sometimes extending a little patience, kindness, grace, or a helping hand can mean far more than we realize.
We believe God puts certain people into our lives at certain times for a reason. We're incredibly grateful that He put Xiong in Dewey's path. So today, we're not asking you to celebrate a roof with us.
We're asking you to keep Xiong and his family in your prayers as he continues his fight against lymphoma. 🙏
And maybe let his story be a reminder to all of us to look around, give people a little more grace, and help someone when we're able. You never know when you might be the person God placed in someone else's path.
