86-year-old Tampa man rescued after he became stranded and dangling from the roof
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Tampa, FL - James Manitaras has lived in his home on the Hillsborough River in Tampa for more than 40 years.
Twice a year, he said he goes up on the roof to blow off the leaves.
“Well, I have a lot of foliage around the home and the leaves collect up there in unusual places and I blow them out, or they get wet and cause damage” Manitaras said.
Wednesday, that normal task nearly turned to tragedy. He said he recently had a tree company do some work around his home, and their work changed things on his roof.
“I had just had those trees up there trimmed and one of the branches I depended on for stability was gone,” Manitaras said.
He said they also removed ropes from the roof that he used to brace himself. As he worked his way around the roof, he found he could not keep his balance.
“I decided it was better to get down on my hands and knees rather than to try and walk it out,” Manitaras said.
It should also be noted, Manitaras is 86 years old.
He found himself with his legs dangling off his roof. A man who rents a room on the first floor of his home called 911 and Tampa police officers soon arrived to save him.
“If you are hanging off the roof, it’s a long time, but they really were here very quickly,” Manitaras said.
Officers pulled him to safety. He said he has a few bumps and bruises and lost some skin from his legs, but he is doing well.
Manitaras said he also plans to hire someone in the future to blow the leaves off of his roof.