Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Felicia’s Spiral!

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Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Felicia’s Spiral!

September 28, 2008 06:21:24 by Candace Young

As Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’s sixth season gets underway, Ty Pennington explains that this time around, they are honoring heroes. On the bus, which is headed to Montgomery County, Maryland, Ty tells his Design Team they are going to help the Jackson family, which consists of a single mother named Felicia and 14 children. Ty explains that Felicia had a younger sister named Cassandra and they were very close. They even began having their children at the same time. But Cassandra was diagnosed with cervical cancer, and after a 10-month battle, she passed away. Cassandra left 10 children. Felicia made a promise to her sister on her deathbed that she would keep her children together after she died. Felicia has kept her word, even after her own husband filed for divorce and left.

Felicia works as a security guard to support the kids, her sister’s ten, and her own four, and they all live in three rooms in a small hotel. Montgomery County has tried to help Felicia by deeding her a piece of land with a house on it - which happens to be across the street from where Cassandra is buried. The problem is that the house needs a lot of work to be inhabitable. Felicia is facing losing her nieces and nephews to foster care. ABC, Ty, and his Design Team, are ready to help the Jackson family.

Day 1

The bus pulls up at the hotel and all of the children emerge to greet Ty and the Design Team. Ty notes that they waited until everyone was out of the door and came over to them as a unit. “They’re not going through anything unless they do it together.” One of Felicia’s daughters tells Ty that her mother is truly a hero. Paige, from the Design Team, says that Felicia has kept her promise to her sister, and they’re going to make a promise to help her. Ty says they’re going to put them in a house - and in the meantime, they’re all going to Disney World!

Felicia shows Ty how they are currently living - taking shifts to eat, cooking in a microwave, and leads him to see a beat up box full of photos. “It’s our life,” she explains. The family having their ‘life’ in the box, which is always moved around, upsets Ty. “I realized how sad this situation is,” he comments quietly. He asks how Felicia is doing with all of this, and she admits that she cries every night. “It’s very hard.” Ty offers her a hug.

Outside, the children play kickball with Paul, who explains that he wants to do the children’s bedrooms as a place to play. Paige meanwhile, asks the girls if they ever get to have sleepovers. They tell her that the kids at school make fun of them and call them ‘homeless’ because they live in a hotel. Paige notes how unfair and sad it is - she vows to make them a space they can feel good about at the end of the day.

Soon, they all board the bus to go and see the house and piece of land that was deeded to Felicia and her family. Eric Kuhn, a teacher, and the man who nominated Felicia for the show, meets them and shows Ty around the house. Ty notes that it’s a couple of walls that used to be a house - it’s unlivable. Eduardo asks one of Cassandra’s girls what she would like to see in the house, and she says a big picture of her mom, and begins to cry. Ed speaks to the two eldest boys about their likes and dislikes - he will be working on rooms for them to call their own.

Ty asks Felicia to describe her life in one word and she chooses “spiraling”. He promises her that in a week she’ll have a real home. Ty then announces to the whole group that they are going to Sears to get clothes and luggage - because they have none! They pull up go into the store and it’s a total mad shopping spree! Felicia commented on how special it was to see all of the kids smiling! Ty also announces that Sears is giving the family $8000 to spend on their vacation. Michael says that he is proud to help Felicia keep the promise she made to her sister!

Day 2

Ty introduces the building team from Classic Homes in Maryland. Their representative, Prem Puri, pledges to help see that the Jackson family gets a home. The crowd gathered to help has many tearful members as he gives a heartfelt speech. Ty contacts the Jackson family by video, and they watch as the big equipment rolls in and begins to demolish the house! Felicia notes that it felt like another struggle was removed from them!

Day 3

Ed shows the new foundation of the Jackson family’s home being built. Didiayer shows off some recycled cardboard that is going to be the basis for the girl’s rooms. Ty then visits the Lincoln Park Community Center where the kids go after school until Felicia gets home from work. The Director tells Ty that the Jackson children go there everyday. Ty ask what supplies they could use there, noting that it’s important to give back to places like the Community Center. Michael speaks to some of the other children at the facility who all know the Jacksons’ story. Looking around at the computers, Michael pledges to build a homework room complete with all of the tools for success into the Jackson house. Paul speaks about the play areas he has in mind for the children to ‘just be kids’.

As the house continues to go up, Ty rides around in a mini-excavator. Going in circles, he explains that when Felicia comes back she’ll be at the top of her ’spiral’. Paige shows how she will create a stage for the younger girls. Eduardo displays his plans for engraved bricks with words such as “love” on them. Paul expands his knowledge of childcare by serving lunch to some of the kids who are helping out. Didiayer explains that it is her responsibility to recycle the materials from the house they tore down. She follows some of the materials through processing.

Day 4

The house is up, some windows are in, and Michael is explaining that they will be covering the exterior in good old red brick! Paige tours through the rooms inside. “Finally this family has their own space, and they can be together.” Outside, Ed displays 60 pairs of sneakers destined to be incorporated into the design of the oldest boys’ room. Ty calls one of Felicia’s daughters and tells her that he wants each of the children to write a promise to Felicia. Felicia, meanwhile, enjoys getting away from the children for a brief time to visit a spa. The children work on their promises to Felicia. One of the girls, Rochelle, breaks down in tears. “My mom is my best friend.”

Day 5

The house is nearly completed. Ed says they are ready to pour the concrete driveway, and then heads inside to show off the open concept living space. Michael is presiding over the new ‘classroom’ he has designed for the children - complete with bright blue storage cupboards! Ty receives the envelope containing the promises from the children and evades Paul’s requests to see what is inside. Next, Ed visits the Washington Redskins training ground to get some signed memorabilia and to meet star player, Chris Cooley. Chris puts Ed through his paces on the field, and Ed shows Chris a new touchdown dance!

Back at the house, Eduardo explains to the helpers that he needs them to give him some words for the garden project that are inspirational. They come up with ‘hero’ and ‘unity’ among others. Didiayer has a potting project underway which will be a remembrance of Cassandra. At the Lincoln Park Community Center, Ty and his volunteers arrive with a truck full of supplies to donate. Ty connects with the Jackson family so they can see what the Community Center is getting as well. Ty unveils school supplies, stuffed animals, books, and furniture. He reveals that each book contains a remembrance of Cassandra Jackson. Felicia says she’ll never ever forget this gesture.

Ty heads back to the house and gets involved in passing bricks along a chain. Inside, Paul explains how the kids will be able to cross from one set of bunkbeds to the other via monkey bars! Eduardo has set out to find the perfect tree for the garden, and Paul ventures back outside to test himself with the children volunteers again. He is amazed at Felicia’s ability to handle so many kids on her own. Didiayer unveils a flowerpot made of recycled glass that will go inside for the girls.

Paige has set out for Chicago to meet Jennifer Hudson and get some words of inspiration for the girls - who named her as one of their favorite performers. Paige asks if she can tape her message. Jennifer agrees, first congratulating them, and then telling them to keep their heads up, stay focused and never let anyone tell them can’t do it! Jennifer then shows Paige her Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the movie Dreamgirls.

Day 6

Painting has begun inside the house, and the rooms are coming together. Paige is showing off the girls’ performance space, which includes their names in lights! Eric Kuhn is admiring Michael’s ‘classroom’ and expressing his belief that Felicia is a true hero. Ty puts a ‘privacy please’ sign on the room that will belong to Felicia and gets to work. Outside, the mailbox is being installed and Ty is presented with the keys. He hollers, “Let’s move in the furniture!” The crowd converges on the truck. Ed says this move means more to him than others because this is furniture for a family that had absolutely nothing! Nearby, Paul is saying that he has learned that to raise fourteen kids you need a grocery store in your kitchen and lots of patience!

Day 7

The crowd has gathered in front of the house and the white stretch limo containing the Jackson family pulls in. They get out and greet Ty as they wait for the house to be unveiled. Ty asks Felicia if she feels close to the top of the spiral - she nods. “Move that bus,” is shouted and the house is revealed. Some of the children cry, some jump up and down, and Felicia says she was shocked. Ty introduces the builders from Classic Homes and then asks if Felicia is ready to walk through the door of her own home.

The family enters the house to ‘check it out’. Keasha, one of the younger girls expresses her thanks that they can now all be together. They admire the huge sofas and open living area. They notice family photos, including Cassandra, up on the walls. Ty comes in and shows them the huge dining table, which seats 15 people, and the huge kitchen with two ovens! Next, Ty leads them into the ‘classroom’ and the kids go wild! Ty points out that they even have their own lockers!

Ty asks if they want to ’see some more house’ and they all charge upstairs. The younger boys are thrilled with their monkey bars and bunk beds, the younger girls are tickled by their pastel colored room with flowers, and Ty announces that they now have separate boys and girls bathrooms! The older boys go into their new room and are stunned to see the sneaker collection and Washington Redskins memorabilia signed by Chris Cooley. The older girls are shown their room, which is complete with their own beds and the fabulous stage area. They scream as they watch Jennifer Hudson’s personal message to them. By the time Ty arrives, the girls are adorned in colored feather boas and have a performance worked up to show him!

Ty takes Felicia aside to show her a special space of her own, her bedroom, which he designed especially for her. He has displayed black and white photos of joined hands, and of the children, on the walls. The children’s promises have been imprinted on the bed, and she reads them tearfully. He then says they need to go grab the kids to show them something cool.

Outside, they learn that they have been given a 15-passenger van to get them around. Felicia comments that she is now ‘above the spiral’! Ty then leads them away from the van to the “Jackson Family Tree” which is surrounded by the inspirational words on bricks. Paige comments that the kids lost their mother, but they could have lost more - they could have lost each other. Ty says, “Welcome home Jackson family”! They all begin to play in the yard, and Felicia thanks everyone. “I don’t think we’re lost anymore. We feel like we’re home”.

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Photos Courtesy: ABC

Topics: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition |

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