The Extreme Makeover: Home Edition design team travels to Bergenfield, New Jersey to build a brand new renovated home in seven days for a deserving family of six who have overcome some difficult disabilities. In order to better meet the Llanes family's unique needs, Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin will serve as Team Leader.
The large Rogers family are well-known in their community for their selfless attitudes and strong morals. All the children excel in everything they do, whether it's sports or academics. Betsy was raised in a bi-racial family, and later married into a bi-racial marriage; as a result, she strives to teach her family and community about diversity and respect for others. A well known and much respected figure throughout the community, Betsy is a team mother for both the football and wrestling teams and a second mom to most of the kids in the area. She has passed her selfless values on to her children; her two eldest sons, Christopher and Jonathan, went on a two-week mission trip in Honduras to help build homes for those who live in worse conditions than even they could imagine.
David Gilliam simultaneously worked several jobs to support his family in order to fulfill his dream of becoming a firefighter and EMT. He was one state test away from getting his instructor coordinator license when he suddenly died. As a result of her husband’s autopsy, Maryann learned that the basement of her family’s home was contaminated with dangerous levels of toxic spores. Her doctor advised the mother and her six children to vacate the house for health reasons. The community has rallied around the Gilliams; since David’s death, the family have lived with several family members, neighbors and friends. Currently they are living with Maryann’s sister.
In early April 2006, a massive F-3 tornado tore through firefighter Jerrod Hawkins' hometown of Henderson, TN. While Jerrod was on duty and could only watch the storm from his fire station, the tornado hit his home directly, ripping the house from its foundation. Amy heroically saved her sons, Jair and Cole, by lying on top of them in the basement. But unfortunately the bricks, debris and concrete that hit Amy caused permanent injuries -- her vertebrae and ribs were crushed, her lungs were punctured, and she sustained serious head trauma. After the tornado subsided, Amy and the boys were found under a pile of rubble by neighbors who called the fire station, where Jerrod had to instruct his neighbors how to give his own wife CPR.
The Bliven family of Minot, North Dakota were told "Life's not fair" by their doctor upon learning their second child, Aaron, had cerebral palsy. The Blivens, who also have another son and daughter, treat Aaron like a "normal" kid. Aaron and his younger brother even played on the same Little League team. That is, until the recreation league decided Aaron's health was too much of a risk for the great American pastime. But instead of benching her young son, Michelle started a league of their own. "Dream Catchers" is a Little League team made up entirely of children with special needs. Michelle received the "Hometown Hero" Award for her tireless efforts in creating an environment in which EVERY child is special
Tama County, IA. The Kibe family are given an extreme makeover.
Brookings County, SD. The Thibodeau family are given an extreme makeover.
St. Meinrad, IN. The Farina family are given an extreme makeover. Despite her success in amassing funds for breast cancer, the Farina family's dreams of fixing up the old farmhouse are no longer plausible due to Shawna's increasing medical bills. The house contains no insulation for the long and cold winters, has a make-shift shower in their single bathroom and is missing three doors to the bedrooms. Now, with the help of Ty and the design team of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, the Farina family will finally have a home they truly deserve, one in which Shawna can watch her children grow up, undefeated by her illness. While Ty and the designers, local builder Kerstiens Homes & Designs of Jasper, IN and hundreds of volunteers and workers are rebuilding their home, the Farina family will go on vacation to Walt Disney World.
Campbellsport, WI. The Koepke family are given an extreme makeover. Matt had dreams of renovating his home and finishing the renovations on the town Mill, but those plans were put on hold once he was diagnosed. He will be missed but never forgotten. Before Matt died, he had a chance to ask EMHE for one wish -- to take care of his family and give them the home they deserved. While the Ty and the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition design team, local builder Monarch Homes, contractors and hundreds of workers and volunteers remember Matt's dreams and work together to transform the Koepke house into a dream home in a remarkable seven days, the family will go on vacation to San Diego.
Logan, UT. The Pauni family are given an extreme makeover. When Janet and Danny left the island of Tonga in 1991, it was to give their family a better life and a better education. Danny was the strong leader in this family and the glue that held them together. That's why it was as if a bomb had hit when he suddenly died in May of 2004 from a heart attack, leaving Janet a widowed mother of nine (eight children and one nephew living in the home). With no life insurance policy and the sole provider gone, this tight knit family has been struggling both emotionally and financially. While the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition design team, local builder Kartchner Homes of Logan, Utah, and hundreds of workers and volunteers are transforming the Pauni's house into a dream home, the family will vacation in a private yacht in the British Virgin Islands.
Redondo Beach, CA. The Ripatti family are given an extreme makeover. Husband and wife Tim and Kristina worked together as police officers in the gang division of the LAPD. They met on the job and are married, with baby daughter, Jordan. Despite the extreme dangers of their jobs, Kristina and Tim are both happy and proud to serve and protect their community. But just how dangerous their jobs could be became terrifyingly clear this past summer. One night Kristina and her partner followed a man who was acting suspiciously. When he started to run, they pursued him on foot. Kristina caught up to him, but then he shot her. Her partner in turn shot and killed the gang member and called for help. Over the radio Tim heard that an officer had been shot, and he immediately rushed to the scene to find his wife fighting for her life. Kristina survived the incident, but today is paralyzed from the chest down.
Lincoln, NE. The Fullerton-Machacek family are given an extreme makeover. This loving family of seven love spending time together, but it's difficult since they still live separately. They split time between Kenny's cramped house and Theresa's even more cramped apartment. Kenny and Theresa want to be married and to finally be united under one roof, but the condition of Kenny's home has made it difficult to be sold. The three-bedroom, one-bathroom home is over a hundred years old and unsafe. Currently the two basement walls are buckling, the refrigerator isn't working and there's a leak in their only bathroom that they cannot afford to fix
Chicago, IL. The Noyola family are given an extreme makeover. While Ty and the designers, local builder Norcon Inc., and hundreds of volunteers and workers are rebuilding their home as well as revamping their grandmother's home, the Noyola family will go on vacation to Walt Disney World
Raleigh, NC. The Riggins family are given an extreme makeover. Linda Riggins grew up poor and in the projects, where she was told she would never make anything of herself. She didn't let this get her down, though, and graduated college with honors and degrees in Childhood Education, Social Work and Women's Studies. She, along with her visually impaired husband, William, have dedicated over fifteen years of service to Building Together Ministries, a non-profit center designed to help disadvantaged parents and children. But recently the Riggins themselves have fallen on tough times: Linda has had several surgeries, their medical bills have become overwhelming and now their house is in bad need of repair. Despite all this, Linda and William greet every day with a smile and focus all of their energies on their young and enthusiastic children and on their community. While Ty and the designers, builder Homelife Communities and hundreds of volunteers and workers are rebuilding their home, the Riggins family will go on vacation to Walt Disney World
Columbus, OH � The Thomas family are given an extreme makeover.
Austin, TX. The O'Donnell family are given an extreme makeover. The story of Patrick and Jeanette O'Donnell, the parents of six children, is a rare and heartbreaking one. Five out of their six children have been diagnosed with and suffer from multiple forms of autism that range from simple communication limitations to severe physical and social problems. The O'Donnell family's case is exceedingly rare, as national autism experts have not recorded a single other family in the United States with five autistic children. Classic autistics have problems talking, relating to people and playing. They can be hypersensitive to their environment and react strongly to certain sounds, colors and textures. Caitlin, the oldest at 15, and Kiernan, their youngest at 5, have the most severe form called classic autism, and are expected to live with their family their whole lives.
Tampa, FL. The Tate family are given an extreme makeover. Tom and Cynthia Tate are well known in their tight knit community of Davis Island. Tom is the co-owner of Tate Brothers' Pizza and is responsible for giving most of the kids in town their first jobs, while Cynthia is extremely involved with the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and the PTA. The Tate Brothers are involved with almost every volunteer or charity event around Davis Island, and it's been said that many of the island kids have grown up in the Tate house. In that respect, June 12, 2006 was a rare day when the house was not filled with neighborhood kids. Out of the entire Tate family, only Cynthia was at home when a plane crashed into the house. The pilot was killed, along with the family pets, and the co-pilot was badly burned but survived. Cynthia miraculously escaped without any injuries, while the house and everything inside it was destroyed. To make matters worse, because of a clerical error, the home was not insured, so the Tates are unable to pay off the existing mortgage, let alone rebuild their home.
Waleska, GA. The Tipton-Smith family are given an extreme makeover. Faith Tipton-Smith is a single mother raising two girls, 16-year-old Missy and 8-year-old Emily. After working at the same job for 25 years, Faith was finally able to purchase her first home in July of 2004. On February 4, 2005 the unthinkable happened when this new home that Faith and her family had worked so hard for burned to the ground. They lost everything, including countless cheerleading trophies, family pictures, clothes and even their dog, Sugar. This family lost everything they cherished and loved. But, most importantly, everybody in the family was safe. During this time, Faith's 16-year-old son, Ransom, was her biggest support, helping his sisters with school, keeping the family together and, as time allowed, playing his favorite sport -- golf.
Longs, SC. A family who lost their house and their son within the span of three months will get a new dream home that they can fill with memories and love.
Brandon, MS. The Jones family are given an extreme makeover. Sabrena Jones is a single mother raising three children -- 18-year-old Marjon, 17-year-old Mardaireus and 9-year-old Marjiya. As a practicing nurse at a local hospital, Sabrena has never had time to focus on herself. Using her background in nursing, she opened up a medical apparel shop which, after financial setbacks, she now runs out of her living room. In addition to this, she runs her own clothing donation center, which led to Sabrena's being selected to serve on a Hurricane Katrina relief committee at her church. To date, her organization has supplied hundreds of thousands of dollars to families and organizations hurt by the devastating natural disaster. The Jones family put serving their community first; they involve themselves with such charitable organizations as Toys for Tots, Mission Mississippi and many more
Lawton, OK. The Westbrook family are given an extreme makeover. Gene Westbrook, the father of three children -- Elizabeth, Katie and James -- volunteered to fight in Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he was left paralyzed and received a purple heart. After being medically discharged from the military, he devoted his time to speaking about his experiences and helping others in his town. Along with his wife, Peggy, they are respected members of a close knit community, but Gene had to jump through many hoops just to be able to afford a handicapped-accessible van that allowed him to drive.
Murfreesboro, AR. The Colins family are given an extreme makeover. Kim and Dennis Collins believe that there's nothing more important than family. When tragedy stuck in the form of a car accident that killed Kim's favorite cousin and her husband, Kim and Dennis took hold of the situation. They fought hard for two years to take custody over the cousin's five children, not wanting them to become separated by the foster care system.
Levittown, PA. The Kilgallon family are given an extreme makeover. After her divorce, Marynoel Kilgallon decided to create a better environment for her four children by purchasing a house that was a "fixer upper." As a woman working two jobs and struggling to make ends meet, that was all that she could afford. She thought that a new coat of paint and a woman's touch could make the place a lovely home. But despite her measures to ensure that she'd bought a safe house, it began to fail on her
Schenectady, NY. The Oatman-Gaitan family, and Camp Heartland, an organization that helps HIV positive children, are given extreme makeovers. A single mother who adopted three children, two of whom are HIV positive, has her home rebuilt. Mandy Moore performs her new song, "Extraordinary," around a campfire.
