Vermont's Independent Voice
Browse News
Browse Arts + Culture
Browse Food + Drink
Browse Cannabis
Browse Music
Browse On Screen
Browse Events
Browse Classifieds
Browse Personals
Published September 22, 2022 at 7:30 a.m. | Updated September 28, 2022 at 10:08 a.m.
Robert Volk Jr. has been working on slate roofs since the early 1980s. Known to his friends and family as Bobby, he moved to Vermont in 1986 and worked on ridgelines across the northern part of the state. In his spare time, Bob designed and built a massive log cabin at 191 Rabbit Run in Waltham, which included a tree house, a suspension bridge and two rooms filled with arcade games. His unique home went viral online when Zillow Gone Wild shared it in 2021.
Bob’s life changed in 2009, when his knee got infected after a knee-replacement procedure. Over the next decade, he had five more knee surgeries and continued working despite the pain and ongoing infection. In 2019, he was faced with a decision: Remove the leg or risk death. After a near-death incident, Bob had his leg amputated above the knee in August 2019. He continues to work on slate roofs while wearing a prosthetic leg and now lives in Waterville.
Eva first met Bob in 2007 when he came to fix some broken slates on her home in Burlington. He is a unique character and extremely knowledgeable about slate. Eva asked Bob in 2016 if she could feature him in a video, but it took a few more years to make it happen. Bob returned to Eva’s home in September, and she took out her iPhone to record his work on her roof.
Despite the health challenges that Bob has faced for 13 years, he remains positive and upbeat. At age 59, he doesn't sweat the small stuff and is glad to be catching up with his customers who have become friends over the years.
Read a behind-the-scenes interview with Eva about the making of this video.
Filming dates: 9/18/22-9/19/22
Music: Chris Haugen, “Fractal of Light”
Bob’s life changed in 2009, when his knee got infected after a knee-replacement procedure. Over the next decade, he had five more knee surgeries and continued working despite the pain and ongoing infection. In 2019, he was faced with a decision: Remove the leg or risk death. After a near-death incident, Bob had his leg amputated above the knee in August 2019. He continues to work on slate roofs while wearing a prosthetic leg and now lives in Waterville.
Eva first met Bob in 2007 when he came to fix some broken slates on her home in Burlington. He is a unique character and extremely knowledgeable about slate. Eva asked Bob in 2016 if she could feature him in a video, but it took a few more years to make it happen. Bob returned to Eva’s home in September, and she took out her iPhone to record his work on her roof.
Despite the health challenges that Bob has faced for 13 years, he remains positive and upbeat. At age 59, he doesn't sweat the small stuff and is glad to be catching up with his customers who have become friends over the years.
Read a behind-the-scenes interview with Eva about the making of this video.
Filming dates: 9/18/22-9/19/22
Music: Chris Haugen, “Fractal of Light”
This episode of Stuck in Vermont was supported by New England Federal Credit Union.
Latest Videos
Related Stories
Speaking of...
-
Immigration Officials Illegally Deported Vermont Family, Advocates Say
Jul 25, 2024 -
Haymaker Bun’s New Burlington Café Packs a Punch
Jul 23, 2024 -
Flooding Hurts Water Quality in Lake Champlain
Jul 22, 2024 -
Q&A: As Emoji Nightmare, Cambridge Resident Justin Marsh Brings Drag to Rural Towns
Jul 17, 2024 -
Goddard College Campus Is Back on the Market
Jul 16, 2024 - More »
Comments
Comments are closed.
From 2014-2020, Seven Days allowed readers to comment on all stories posted on our website. While we've appreciated the suggestions and insights, right now Seven Days is prioritizing our core mission — producing high-quality, responsible local journalism — over moderating online debates between readers.
To criticize, correct or praise our reporting, please send us a letter to the editor or send us a tip. We’ll check it out and report the results.
Online comments may return when we have better tech tools for managing them. Thanks for reading.
About The Author
Eva Sollberger
Bio:
Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger has been making her award-winning video series, "Stuck in Vermont," since 2007. New episodes appear on the Seven Days website every other Thursday and air the following night on the WCAX evening news. Sign up at sevendaysvt.com to receive an email alert each time a new one drops. And check these pages every other week for insights on the episodes.
Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger has been making her award-winning video series, "Stuck in Vermont," since 2007. New episodes appear on the Seven Days website every other Thursday and air the following night on the WCAX evening news. Sign up at sevendaysvt.com to receive an email alert each time a new one drops. And check these pages every other week for insights on the episodes.
