'Extreme Makeover' show builds new house for critically ill teen

[Guest guest]

TV's 'Extreme Makeover' show builds new house for critically ill

teen

http://www.timesstar.com/Stories/0,1413,125~1549~2605947,00.html

home

Coming

By Young, STAFF WRITER

THE HILLSIDE home went from split level to totally leveled in four

minutes flat. A week ago Friday, the 1,200-square-foot ez home

was demolished down to the dirt. On Wednesday, a 3,800-square-foot

home -- complete with a pool and fully landscaped -- was unveiled.

When the hit ABC home improvement show " Extreme Makeover: Home

Edition " tackles a project, things happen quickly. Each episode has

a heartbreaking tale about the family getting the new home and a

community that chips in time, money and expertise.

But this is the first time the series has ever totally demolished a

home and built a new one in its place in just six days. More than

1,000 workers put in long days and nights -- more than 100 hours

straight -- so that 17-year-old Jhyvre Sears could come home.

Advertisement

Last year, Jhyvre (pronounced Ger-VAY) was diagnosed with Krabbe

disease, a rare genetic disorder caused by an enzyme deficiency.

Without this enzyme, patients eventually lose the ability to walk,

sit or function independently. Death usually occurs within two years

of the diagnosis.

But Jhyrve underwent a new treatment where patients are given a

donor umbilical cord blood transplant. The procedure includes large

doses of chemotherapy and other medications.

Jhyrve and her mother, , have spent the last seven months in

North Carolina following the

treatment at Duke University Hospital. Jhyrve's 14-year-old brother,

Lucas, stayed with his father in his ez apartment.

While Lucas anxiously waited to be reunited with his single mom and

sister, it became obvious that Jhyrve could not return to their

home.

The treatment has left Jhyrve's immune system compromised, so living

in their mold-infested home was no longer an option. , a

teacher's aide, had been renting an apartment near the hospital

while paying the mortgage on the ez home.

With bills stacking up fast, there was no money for a home

renovation that would give Jhyrve a safe environment to continue her

recovery. In dire straits, the family turned to " Extreme Makeover:

Home Edition. "

And like white knights, they came to the rescue.

Interior designer and host Moloney said he feels incredibly

lucky to be able to take the role of angel in so many lives.

" To be able to turn peoples' lives around is just an amazing,

wonderful experience, " Moloney said. " I can't imagine a better job.

It's an exhausting process, but at the end the payoff is worth it

all. "

The TV team hooks up with local contractors, suppliers and trade

unions to build the homes in record time. Generally, it is an

extensive remodel rather than a complete rebuild.

" We didn't have any choice but to tear the whole house down, " said

Constance Ramos, the host who helps with the building and

planning. " Because the house is on a hill, the surface water was

running right through it so there was mold

everywhere. "

To help the air in the house stay as clean as possible, an IQAir

system was installed. The same system was installed in another home

when a young girl's weakened immune system needed to be protected

from bacteria, viruses and allergens.

" The entire (Sears) home will have this purifying system, " Moloney

said. " It's really great. "

Moloney said the mold was trapped under the foundation, so a whole

new one had to poured. For those who have waited weeks for a

concrete foundation to " cure, " it's hard to believe that this

foundation could be poured and the building started almost

immediately.

Pleasant Hill-based DeNova Homes took the lead in building the home.

Company owner Dave Sanson said that if he were building a home for

an individual, it would be impossible to do it so quickly.

" There isn't really a monetary consideration. The concrete we used

sets quickly and can be load-bearing within 16 hours. But it's very

expensive, so we wouldn't use it on a regular build, " Sanson

said. " The pool was preformed and the walls were prebuilt. We also

had (city and county) inspectors on call 24-7, so we didn't have to

have that lag time. "

Architect Kathy Miles of San Ramon's Dahlin Group says that a

project like this would normally take about six months to a year.

" We started on the plans about a month ago, " Miles said. " We wanted

to mitigate the dust and allergens, so we put in hardwood floors and

made sure the wheelchair access didn't take over the design of the

house. "

The sloping walkway to the house doesn't look out of place, and

there's no obvious signs that this is a disabled person's home. The

top level of the home includes a kitchen, dining room, family room

and three bedrooms.

There's also a sunroom off the back that will allow Jhyrve to feel

as if she's walking out on a balcony.

Downstairs -- there's a chair lift on the stairs -- the family can

enjoy a game/theater room, gym, pool and guest rooms. There's also a

lift that lowers Jhyrve into a therapeutic pool.

Of course, it's all decorated divinely.

Because Jhyrve can no longer go out to the movies with her friends,

Moloney said they designed a room for her that looks like a vintage

drive-in, with a big mural on one wall featuring her friends.

As for brother Lucas, an aspiring pilot, his room was decorated

courtesy of Southwest Airlines down to a computer desk chair that

looks like a pilot's seat.

Making sure the exterior allowed for low maintenance and few

allergens, the front yard is landscaped with flagstone and a few

trees. There's a relaxing area with lawn chairs and a wood-burning

pit, and a koi pond near the driveway.

On Wednesday, a frail-looking Jhyrve was helped out of the limo that

carried her and her mother and brother to their new home. The view

was obscured, as it always is, by the TV hosts' tour bus.

Her mom and brother stood beside her as " Extreme Makeover " host Ty

Pennington engaged the crowd in the trademark cheer " Move that bus! "

and the cameras rolled.

As the home was revealed, the three teared up. People in the crowd

cheered and yelled " We love you Jhyrve. " It was heady stuff for the

teen in sweats and pink boot slippers, who bore little resemblance

to the vivacious girl pictured with her brother on posters placed on

the neighbors' fences.

She has lost most of her hair and looked a bit chilled in the cool

afternoon air. But she was obviously warmed by good deeds and well-

wishes swirling around her.

And she was home.

You can reach Young by calling (925) 416-4820, e-mail at

syoung@..., or fax at (925) 416-4874.