It has been six years since Hurricane Sandy smashed into the city, leaving homeowners like Jill McKoy and her disabled husband with a big mess. 

"We lost our heat, we lost the roof, most of it. We had windows that were coming out. It was horrendous," McKoy recalled.

Luckily for the McKoys, Terry Scott — a private contractor from the West Coast — decided to assist in the clean up.   

He joined Rebuilding Together New York City for a week of rebuilding homes in Gerritsen Beach. 

"During that week, I saw what was happening in this city. I saw this affiliate at Rebuilding Together NYC was looking for some direction," said Scott. "So I went home and closed down my general contracting business of 15 years down to come back for what was supposed to be six months and that was five pus years ago."

Scott became the group's Director of Construction, leading and training volunteers to make repairs for homeowners at no cost. 

The first few years focused on critical repairs to Sandy damaged homes, like Mrs. McKoy's.

"We would go from neighborhood to neighborhood, Gerrisen Beach, Jamaica, Breezy Point, Broad Channel, Canarsie, Rockaways, name a storm neighborhood we have been there," Scott said.

And even after these years, the rebuilding work continues. 

He's taken his efforts one step, helping homeowners in the hardest hit communities to help themselves, giving free lessons in basic construction and tool operation as a part of the non-profit's workforce training program.

"We are giving these people economic opportunities for union apprenticeships and again they can go back into their own neighborhoods and pass some of those skills along," Scott said.

They're skills that Scott knows can rebuild hope in the lives of homeowners around the city.

"To be able to walk in and give people help when and where they need it and to make people whole again, wow pretty lucky, pretty privileged," Scott said.

But Jill McKoy says homeowners like herself and others Scott has helped are the lucky ones.

"Terry Scott is a gift to humanity," McKoy said.

And so for continuing to rebuild homes and lives following Hurricane Sandy, Terry Scott is our New Yorker of the Week.