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WWII Vet In Need Of Roof Dead At 94

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - An elderly war veteran who received help from CBS4 viewers after they learned he needed roof repairs has died.

Leo McLarney, 94, passed away over the weekend.

In an exclusive story brought to you by CBS4 earlier this year, McLarney's family sought help. His roof was severely damaged in Hurricane Irma and neither he nor his family had the money for repairs.

McLarney was a first-class petty officer who served in Pearl Harbor.

After Leo's story first aired back in early January, donations started pouring in and his roof was renovated and fixed.

His daughter Regina said she is grateful for the generosity and love her dad had received over the last few months.

"I cannot ever express to you what the love, honor, generosity and yes attention did for my dad in his last months. I thank one and all for the incredible gifts which were bestowed upon him by loving, caring people. I thank you for this profound experience and hope a little bit of Leo and his humor will stay with you as a reminder of what a wonderful world this is," she said.

"Thank you, everybody, for truly making a positive and significant change in the world, your actions brought hope, joy, and happiness to a person that served his county with dignity and courage, but was taken back by one of most devastating Hurricanes to ever touch South Florida," she added. "That's perhaps how we honor Leo McLarney best, by recognizing that we have the ability to bring hope, joy, and happiness to those that have been dealt a difficult hand after the storm has passed. At his best, Leo showed us what taking the time to lend a hand to someone in need really does for those in need. For that, we are all deeply in his debt."

McLarney was a Pearl Harbor survivor. He also fought in the battle of Guadalcanal.

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