Contractor's act of kindness perfect holiday gift for homeowner

CROSBY, TX (KTRK) -- Jonell Patterson has lived in her home for 22 years, the last 18 months of which haven't been so good.

"The roof started leaking a year and a half ago," she told Eyewitness News, "and I had a tarp put on it. It stopped it for a while."

She tried another tarp, which didn't work, and then paid a roofer to fix the leak. That didn't work either.

In stepped Scott Lacy of Lacy Construction.

"What (the other contractor) did was completely screwed up," explained Lacy. "It caused a bunch of leaks in the house. Messed up her sheetrock and stuff and she didn't have any money, you know?"

So after bidding on the job to fix the fix, Lacy offered a price Ms. Patterson couldn't refuse.

"It's very touching," she said of Lacy's offer of a free roof. "It's a miracle to me."

"My wife tells me all the time that I'm too giving," Lacy said. "I try to help too many people, you know what I mean. I'm in business to make money, but you've got to give back sometimes."

He and his crew -- volunteering to fix the roof and more -- spent their weekend before Christmas like elves delivering a priceless gift.

"Everybody likes to feel, you know, that they're giving something back. And that's all I'm trying to do."

Jonell Patterson can't thank him enough.

"The worry is over with because I know they've done a good job."