Long Island Family Enjoys First Holiday Meal At Home Since Sandy

MANORVILLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- For one Long Island family, this Christmas is the first holiday they've been able to have in their home since super-storm Sandy struck.

TV 10/55's Carolyn Gusoff visited the Blancos in Manorville as they carved up their holiday roast and enjoyed something they haven't been been able to do since 2012.

"It's been a nightmare," daughter Shannon Blanco said. "The house was destroyed, completely destroyed."

"We can never get together, we can never plan because I never have a place to put them," father John Blanco said. "Everything was gone."

It was more than a matter of hurricane recovery -- John and his wife Eileen have been hit with a storm of challenges since water and wind sunk their foundation and pulled their walls apart.

The retired telephone company workers first battled insurance, which only paid a fraction of the storm's damage.

Then the contractors they hired to make the necessary repairs demolished half of the house before completely disappearing.

"He took my money and left us homeless," said John. "I have never done anything to hurt anyone, never."

All the while, Jon was battling cancer as the couple was helping to raise their grandson.

But now -- after years of headache and hardship, a tree sparkled in the family's Suffolk County living room Sunday night.

The reconstruction group NY Rising reviewed their case. The Blanco's 2013 award will be supplemented and, thanks to a new contractor, construction is finally nearing an end.

As far as today's meal goes, the Blancos will always remember Christmas 2016 as the day their house once again became a home.