LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A tattered American flag flying on a hillside in Henderson has been replaced after an eighth grader alerted a news station to its condition.
The flag, located on a hill along Galleria Drive between the Tuscany and Cadence communities and Lake Las Vegas, had lost most of its red and white stripes. Only a couple of stripes remained clinging to the pole along with the blue field of stars.
“I’ve done tattered flag stories before, but this is the worst I’ve seen,” said reporter Joe Vigil.
The eighth grader told Vigil about the flag’s condition and expressed concern about how veterans might feel seeing it in that state. Vigil said he was told by people who hike in the area that the flag had been up for three or four months.
Vietnam veteran weighs in
Vigil spoke with Richard Crescitelli, a local Vietnam veteran who participated in an honor flight trip to Washington, D.C.
“He said the eighth-grade girl was correct. It shouldn’t be up. It’s certainly not a good look at all,” Vigil said.
Crescitelli, who changes flags in his neighborhood on a quarterly basis, said he would have replaced the flag himself, but he walks with a walker and could not climb the steep hill.
After the story aired, a viewer on social media offered to replace the flag if no one else had done so. Vigil arranged to meet the viewer and Crescitelli at the location.
Flag replaced before planned climb
When they arrived and were discussing how to get up the hill, they saw a truck at the bottom of the flagpole. And moments later watched a new flag being raised.
“Richard Crescitelli salutes the flag as it was being raised in respect of the flag,” Vigil said.
The group drove around the hill to meet the workers. One identified themselves as an employee with Raintree, which is building homes at the site. The other person was a contractor on the project. The workers said they saw the news story, and the company decided to replace the flag.
Raintree owns the land where the flagpole stands, though the origin of the flagpole itself remains unknown.
The workers gave the old flag to Crescitelli, who saluted it again before taking it to a dropbox at Lowe’s for proper retirement.
“They’re boxes, this particular one, outside Lowe’s. And you can put old flags, no longer serviceable, in there, and then they’ll properly retire them for you,” Vigil said.
Raintree representatives said they will monitor the flag to ensure it does not fall into disrepair again.
Crescitelli sent a text message to the eighth grader thanking her for bringing attention to the issue.
“A Vietnam veteran, he saw some rough times in Vietnam. And a lot of people died over there,” Vigil said. “One of the reasons he feels the flag is so important is to keep the memory alive and honor those who’ve served and those who’ve died.”
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