Gilbert high school students, alumni working to help security guard fix flooded home
Sep 19, 2014, 6:29 PM | Updated: 7:58 pm
MESA, Ariz. — The head of security at Highland High School in Gilbert has fallen into some hard times, but many of the school’s students and alumni are rushing to help.
It was Sept. 8 when floodwaters rushed through and heavily damaged Valu Tuituu’s home near Stapley Drive and Broadway Road in Mesa. He and his family have been living there for 20 years.
“I lost my carpet. I lost the furniture. I lost all of the beds, and the TV,” Tuituu said.
He said he didn’t have flood insurance. For the first few days following the flood, Tuituu had to leave the doors and windows of his home open to try to dry the place out. He said he slept in a tent in his backyard.
Now, he, his wife and three children are staying at a motel.
When 2006 Highland graduate Russell Johnson heard about what was going on, he decided to swing into action. Tuituu was a wrestling coach for Highland while Johnson was on the team. Johnson said he saw Tuituu as a leader who played a big role in getting him through high school.
Johnson is now the owner of Berg Builders, a general contracting business. He donated $2,500 to Tuituu and assigned his crew to work on his former coach’s house for a week.
But Johnson said that he’s not the only one who is stepping up to help. Students and alumni have raised more than $13,000 so far using a Give Forward crowdfunding page, with a goal of reaching $20,000.
Johnson said everyone helping out has been impacted by Tuituu somewhere along the way.
“For some people, their daughter spoke highly of him as a security guard, and he watched after their kids,” said Johnson. “Others are people who went to the school 20 years ago who still remember Valu and want to give a hand in whatever way they can.”
Between 30 and 50 people are expected to show up on Saturday to use some “elbow grease” to get work done around the security guard’s house, Johnson said.
Tuituu said he is grateful to all of Highland’s current and former students, and others, for pitching in.
“I can’t believe how much they’re willing to help out,” he said. “It’s the students of Highland High School and the faculty and staff. It’s also the administrators that are all also trying to help out.”
Johnson said that if all goes well, Tuituu and his family should be able to move back into their home in about two weeks.