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'Guardian Angel' Pays for New Roof After Contractor Runs Off With Homeowner's $2,400 Deposit

It started with a few water marks on the ceiling. That's when Lydia Jones-Faucette called a roofer. Instead of fixing the leak, he took off with her money.

There is something about a garden that helps you forget about life’s troubles if just for a while. Maybe it’s the beauty in the flowers or the optimism of a new vegetable starting to grow?  Time is often lost when watering or planting new seeds, “I love it out here,” said Lydia Jones-Faucette

While the garden continues to flourish there is one major problem Jones-Faucette keeps avoiding. The roof on her house continues to leak, “When I came home it was a flood in my bedroom, water was coming from the ceiling,” said Jones-Faucette.

The roof has not been in great shape for several months, but it had now gotten really bad. Several parts of the ceiling had water damage or stains. On a couple occasions the water came pouring in from the ceiling.

Earlier in the year Jones-Faucette hired a roofer to fix the issues, “I liked him, he was nice,” said Jones-Faucette. Angelo Landry was scheduled to fix the damage and was given a $2,400 deposit. Landy cashed the check but never showed to do the work, I’ve called so many times and he just has an excuse all the time,” said Jones-Faucette.

After trying to get him to finish the job for three months Jones-Faucette reached out to our Call 4 Action volunteers. We reached out to Landry, who promised us he would pay Jones-Faucette back, “I will get her the money,” said Landry.

We [WFMY News 2] waited several months after being told he would refund the money; always told he would have it “soon” but never showing up to pay her. We then decided to go to his home to see why he hadn’t refunded the money, “I just don’t have the money,” said Landry.

By now it had been more than six months since Landry took the money. He continued to give excuse after excuse for not paying Jones-Faucette back, “It was not meant to be malicious, I will make it right, man of my word I will make it happen,” said Landry.

Again Jones-Faucette waited for Landry to refund the money. One week became two, then a month, then a couple, eventually it was clear Landry had no plans to return the money. The problem was Jones-Faucette needed the money to pay for another contractor to repair the damage, “I had to borrow that money and now I owe someone, and my roof still leaks,” said Jones-Faucette.

Fearing the roof was going to have serious issues this winter, Jones-Faucette was able to get the assistance of a few friends to make some minor repairs. Up till this point a giant blue tarp was draped over a good chunk of the home.

Before the work was started, one of the men who was asked to help had a conversation with Jones-Faucette, “He said I’m going to bless you,” said Jones-Faucette.  Unsure what he meant at first she would quickly figure out the man was going to pay for a new roof, “I told him I didn't know what to say, it was unbelievable,” said Jones-Faucette.

A roofing contractor was hired, and the new roof was installed this fall. Jones-Faucette says the man wants to remain anonymous but called him her guardian angel, “I believe God is looking down on me blessing me,” said Jones-Faucette.

We have continued to reach out to Landry in hopes he will at some point pay Jones-Faucette back but have been unable to reach him.

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