January 27, 2023
Born in Austin and has lived here his whole life, Richard Ancira has an increasingly rare perspective on how the city has changed. A Vietnam veteran, Richard was drafted in 1965 and served until 1968. He sustained leg injuries from gunfire and grenades but continued to fight. "We had a code, no sacrifice too great," says Richard. That resolve helped get him through service duty until he could get back to Texas. Richard met his wife Angelica at a flea market. He spotted her first and found a way to introduce himself by buying her fresh corn. The two dated for 5 years and married in 2016, the same year they bought their home. At the time, the property was in great condition and Angelica liked the expansive kitchen. “I bought her the house" remembers Richard. "The kitchen was really big and she cooks all the meals. She liked it." Trouble came in 2021 with Winter Storm Uri that severely damaged their roof and Richard and Angelica were suddenly facing a costly repair well outside of their budget. "We didn't know how we were going to fix it," said Richard. Fortunately, they were already Meals on Wheels Central Texas meal clients and were aware of the Home Repair program. After being approved and the damage surveyed, the contractors and Meals on Wheels team started the work needed. Thanks to the generous funding from The Home Depot Foundation, Richard and Angelica were able to have their roof repaired with high-quality tile. Inside the carpeting was pulled up and new laminate wood floors went in. The team installed gutters around the home and installed a new vent in the kitchen. The couple was impressed with how smoothly everything happened. "They do it quick. They don't mess around. They know what they're doing." says Richard.