Extreme Makeover Home Edition designers are learning about Chapman
5:05 p.m. Wednesday, November 12, 2008
"Wait a second America, these people are still down here, they're still trying to rebuild their lives," Extreme Makeover Home Edition designer Ed Sanders described.
Sanders says driving through the town, and seeing the damage left from the June 11 tornado is like many natural disasters he's seen before, but the spirit of the people in Chapman is different.
"To be honest, my dear, I don't think the town of Chapman needs to take anything from us, because from what I've been told, and the amount of people I've spoke to in the last 6 hours, you guys were doing pretty good without us being here. They've rebuilt it themselves, they're trying to rebuild, they're trying to make a difference," Sanders said.
Designer Paige Hemmis is working on the little girl's room, and says she can't wait to start this project.
"Cause you look behind us and you see what they have. They have nothing right now," said Hemmis.
As the bus pulled up, many people in the town came out to see the action. And Paul DiMeo rode around with another one of the Tutwiler children, Jacob, to get to know what he loves.
All of the designers had the same thing to say about the Tutwiler family's story. They are deserving of this home.
"This family has just been through so much. It's been mom with cancer dad being shot in Iraq and almost killed, and then surviving this incredible storm," designer Michael Moloney said.
And in the small town of Chapman, thousands of volunteers came in abundance.
"I think it's amazing we have more volunteers, than the people are in this town," Hemmis said.
The work is beginning, and the designers are excited for the future.
"This is a big deal, people. Okay, this is a huge deal," Moloney said.
The house is scheduled to be completed next Tuesday. And while the house is being worked on, Extreme Makeover Home Edition sent the Tutwiler family on a Disney cruise.
Since the storm, the Tutweilers have lived at Fort Riley. Patrick Tutweiler is an Iraq war veteran.
Related story: Extreme Makeover Home Edition comes to Chapman
Post a comment
(Requires free registration.)