An Athens VT Family Featured Next Week on Extreme Makeover Home Edition

An Athens VT Family Featured Next Week on Extreme Makeover Home Edition 12/3/07

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9

"EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION" HELPS A FAMILY WHO LIVE IN A CRUMBLING HOUSE ON THE VERGE OF COLLAPSE AND HAVE AN ARTISTIC SON WHO SUFFERS FROM MULTIPLE BIRTH DEFECTS

"Vitale Family" -- The Vitale family of Athens, VT received the good news that Ty and the gang of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" will be transforming their current home into a safe and handicapped-accessible house in just seven days, on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Sarah and Lou have two loving and bright sons, Kane (2) and Louie Angelo Jr. (1+1/2). Louie Angelo Jr. was diagnosed with multiple birth defects, including Arthogryposis, club feet and skeletal displasia. Although he can't move very well, he loves to paint. With this in mind, Sarah started an organization in honor of her son which allows children to paint and auction off their work to raise money and awareness for their particular disease.

Both Sarah and Lou are creative and supportive parents but, have limited resources and a home which is not at all adapted to Louis Jr.'s needs. They've tried making ramps and done their best, but it's not enough. Their home was built on a weak foundation that consists of tree trunks, bare earth and shifting blocks that don't support the house. Engineers said that one day, without warning, it will collapse and possibly harm everyone inside. In bad weather, rain pours in through the hallways, making it difficult for emergency medical technicians to maneuver when called upon for Louie.

Now it's up to the design team to get this family out of the crumbling foundation and into a strong and handicapped-accessible house. While Ty and the designers, local builder The McKernon Group, Inc., and hundreds of volunteers and workers are rebuilding their home, the Vitale family will be at "David's House" in New Hampshire, where they'll be volunteering. They also stayed there when their son was in the hospital.

The design team for this episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" will feature team leader Ty Pennington and designers Michael Moloney, Paige Hemmis, Tanya McQueen and Rib Hillis. The series is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. It's executive-produced by Denise Cramsey. David Goldberg is the president of Endemol USA. "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" is broadcast with Spanish subtitles via secondary closed captioning. This program carries a TV-PG parental guideline.

This episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" will be available on ABC.com the day after airing on the network for users to watch online.

Source: ABC Press Release