Tampa first responders rescue 86-year-old man blowing leaves off roof

TAMPA, Fla - An afternoon doing chores on Wednesday took a scary turn for an 86-year-old Tampa man.

The backstory:

James Manitaras found himself dangling off his roof three stories high on Patterson Street Wednesday afternoon in Tampa.

"It used to be the old joke that they got cats out of trees. I weigh about 170. They got me off of that roof in good shape," said Manitaras. "Since I have so much foliage around here, I get up on the roof and blow it off."

But this time, Manitaras, 86, said the branches he normally uses for support were trimmed.

"I was afraid to walk it, and my shoes weren’t doing real well. So, I decided I would get down and crawl it," said Manitaras. "Unfortunately, because of the pitch of the roof, every time I would roll over, I would go more towards the edge of the roof." 

What we know:

Manitaras said he soon realized his legs were hanging off his roof, and he was in a precarious position.

"My neighbor just happened to walk out and saw my legs over the side of the house and called 911," said Manitaras.

The Tampa Police Department and Tampa Fire Rescue responded within minutes to the call.

"As soon as I heard the sirens I thought, ‘Oh yes, this is just what I need,’" said Manitaras.

If first responders had not arrived, Manitaras said it would have been about a 300-foot drop to the gravel ground below.

"I wouldn’t have been very well off," he said.

What's next:

Manitaras said his wife, Sharon, had warned him about going on the roof to blow off the leaves.

"She’s been on me for years not to do it. But when you build a home, and you go up there, and you blow it every year or twice a year, you get confident," he said.

But after 40 years of living in the house he built, it was time for a helping hand from first responders.

"I’ve said thank you so many times. I wouldn’t be standing here if it wasn’t for them," said Manitaras.

He’s a little tired and sore now, and he said what could go wrong did go wrong.

"I was truly the victim of that," Manitaras said.

He shared that it may be time to follow his wife’s wishes and ask someone else to clear his roof for him.

"Of course, she had been on me for years not to do it. And me, I think I can do everything. I can’t."