Vietnam vet’s year-long battle with elevator contractor ends 48 hours after WINK Investigates steps in

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. (WINK) — James Maloney survived the jungles of Vietnam and decades as a Buffalo, New York, firefighter.

He survived explosions, exposure to Agent Orange, and most recently, the total destruction of his Fort Myers Beach home during Hurricane Ian.

But for the past year, the disabled veteran found himself trapped in a different kind of battle: a fight for mobility inside his own home.

A "Paradise" With a Catch

After losing everything to the storm, Maloney rebuilt his home with accessibility in mind. To navigate the three-story structure with his service-related knee and ankle injuries, he paid Florida Home Elevators more than $50,000 for two elevators.

While the unit connecting the ground floor to the second level worked perfectly, the elevator leading to his master bedroom on the third floor, he says, became a daily hazard.

"This door does not open all the way to get access in," Maloney told Chief WINK Investigates Reporter Chorus Nylander. "My hand always gets caught in there. It’s a real tight fit, and I have to inch it to grab it at the top."

The project invoice specified a 28-inch door, but the actual opening was so narrow that Maloney had to reach around a sharp corner just to pull it open, often pinching his fingers in the process.

The Year-Long Standoff

For over a year, Maloney says he pleaded with the contractor to fix the door frame. Instead of a solution, he says he was met with excuses.

"They originally said they’d send somebody back out to fix it, and then... they said, ‘Oh no, that’s your responsibility,’" said Jim Neaf, Maloney’s long-time friend.

Maloney even claimed the company told him he would have to cut his own access holes into his brand-new walls for their motor maintenance. Despite the contract stating that the price included "preparation of the area for the elevator to fit", the veteran felt ignored and frustrated.

WINK Investigates Gets Results

Feeling he had run out of options, Maloney contacted WINK Investigates. On April 6, Chorus Nylander reached out to Florida Home Elevators with questions about safety standards and project completion.

The company never replied to the email inquiry. However, the company did react.

"They [the company] called me immediately and asked me not to have anything aired," Maloney said. "And they got here on Thursday and Friday and finished the job."

That was two weeks ago, Maloney said he’s happy with the results.

"A Weight Off My Shoulders"

Within 48 hours of WINK Investigates’ inquiry, crews were at Maloney’s home. They widened the access and moved the controls so he could press the buttons comfortably.

For a veteran who rebuilt from the ground up, the final fix represents more than just a working door—it represents the peace of mind he moved to Fort Myers Beach to find.

"Weight off my shoulders," Maloney said. "I can relax for a change. You did it, you did a great job here, and I’m watching WINK News for now on.”

WINK Investigates reached out to the company again, asking about its decision to suddenly resolve the issues, but it did not respond.