Posted: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 9:00 pm | Updated: 9:31 pm, Wed Oct 21, 2009.
By Peter Adelsen Perspective staff writer padelsen@kokomoperspective.com | 0 comments
BUNKER HILL -- The guessing is over. ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" has chosen a family who are truly deserving of a gift.
Just after 8 a.m., the famous bus arrived via heavy police escort from many area agencies at the home of the Cowan-Brown family, near Bunker Hill.
The show's host Ty Pennington then came to the front door for the door knock and his loud welcome with his megaphone.
"There was falling down the stairs," said Heather Cowan, the mother, at the press conference. "It was probably not the most graceful exit our family has ever had, but again it was very unreal. It still has not sunk in. It's like a dream."
The family also includes her husband, Andy, and children who are Mason Cowan, 8; Kori Brown, 12; Trevor Brown, 13; and Ryan Brown, 16.
"Extreme Makover: Home Edition" looks for heroes, people who give back, inspire their community and make a difference, said executive producer Conrad Rickets last week. This episode's hero is Kori Brown.
Brown was diagnosed with a blood disease six years ago and while she was receiving treatment she became friends with Alyssa Lewandowski, a Noblesville girl who was being treated for leukemia. Brown later heard an advertisement for American Cancer Society's Relay for Life about helping to find a cure for cancer. She then decided that she was going to help.
"I have raised over $38,000 for the American Cancer Society by basically just going door-to-door selling things and we had auctions before," Brown said. "We did the work because of my friend Alyssa, she has cancer, but she is in remission now."
This young girl is out helping people who she has never met by supporting this cause. The problem is that the house she lives in that was originally a barn is over-run by mold. Kori is allergic to mold. The family first found the mold five years ago, they said, and it has gotten so bad in the past two years that not all the members of the family were able to stay together.
"My children have been farmed out to other places to live because it's too bad of a house," Heather Cowan said. "You're literally going to put our family back together again."
The arrival of the show brought the first day of filming. Volunteers walked over and over again to get the "Braveheart march" just right. And, the family left and returned, and left again multiple times in a white Ford Excursion limousine.
The family is now on their way to Disneyland for a week, with all expenses paid. As for missing a week of school, she says Macanoquah is a great school.
"It's just very overwhelming and I know it hasn't hit yet," she said. "I'm kind of numb right now, but I just hope that you understand that you guys have saved our family. It's not just about the house. This is a lot bigger than the house. I am a little jealous because I think it would be very fun to stay here and watch it."
Demolition of the family's home will be at about 10 a.m. Thursday. When the house is destroyed the 106-hour clock to complete the project will begin. The thousands of volunteers will work non-stop until it is finished.
During this season, the show will also feature a celebrity. Rapper Xzibit, and host of MTV's "Pimp My Ride," will be helping out during the week at the site.
The first day of taping also drew Peru's mayor to the event.
"I think what this shows for the people who will be watching what kind of a community we have here," Mayor Jim Walker said.
http://kokomoperspective.com/news/article_6a0888ec-bea1-11de-910a-001cc4c03286.html
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