Granite City veteran’s uniforms ruined by sewer backups

GRANITE CITY, Ill. – An Army veteran who served in Afghanistan is frustrated over the loss of his uniform and other belongings due to sewer backups at his home in Granite City.

“It’s important to me because everything in here, I took to Afghanistan with me, and that’s a very fond memory,” Joshua Valazquez said.

Valazquez says the backups were not from his fault.

“It makes me feel like I don’t matter; I feel like the little guy here. I really don’t like using being a veteran like a token or something, but it’s like I used my VA home loan to get this house…now it doesn’t feel like a home anymore,” he said.

Damages have included a hot water heater, a washer, dryer, and other items, adding up to $10,000 in losses. Valazquez says the system is set up to cause backups in his house.

Granite City Mayor Michael Parkinson agreed to step up and help the veteran.

“It’s kind of sad that a veteran didn’t know where to get help,” he said. “We’re also here for our citizens and whether he’s a veteran or not, any of our citizens can turn to us and ask for help.”

Parkinson says he arranged to take Valazquez’s uniform to professional cleaners Tuesday.

“He probably has great pride in those uniforms as well, so we’re going to get those cleaned up for him as well. We’re paying for those—not with taxpayers dollars—but with my own money…We’re going to give him a sense of pride back on that,” Parkinson said.

In addition, the mayor has reached out to Illinois American Water to inquire about a solution to Valezquez’s problems.

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