ABC's "Extreme Makeover", January 2, 2011

ABC's "Extreme Makeover" is one of the most moving and inspiring shows on television. Each week, a new home is built by the "Extreme Makeover" crew and hundreds of neighbors and friends for a family in need. This week, two families got new homes from "Extreme Makeover".

ABC's Extreme Makeover surprised the Grommesh family from Minnesota and took care of a wish by 10-year old Garrett Grommesh. The family includes the parents, Adair and Bill, and their two children, 10-year old Garrett and 12-year old Peighton. Garrett has spina bifoda and has had 24 surgeries in his young life. He is in a wheelchair and his sister, Peighton graciously picks him up and carries him around the house.

The Grommesh family live in a nice home but it's not wheelchair accessible and Garrett has trouble getting around the house or trying to do things in the house. He wants to participate more in family activities and can't. "Extreme Makeover" will need to make the new house ADA accessible.

Adair and Bill Grommesh started a nonprofit for kids in wheelchairs and it's called Hope, Inc. Bill is the Activities Coordinator and works with the kids in wheelchairs to teach them games and activities. Adair is the bookkeeper and her office was a corner of the living room. For more information just click on Hope, Inc.

Since the Grommesh home is very nice and usable to a family who does not need wheelchair access, Garrett has just one wish for their home: Through "Extreme Makeover" he wants to pay it forward to a classmate of his, Arlinda Hajdari. Arlinda is Garrett's best friend in school and she comes from a family of six living in a crowded two-bedroom home. Garrett explains that Arlinda accepts him for what he is and she's been a good friend.

Ty Pennington, "Extreme Makeover's" Team Leader, sends the Grommesh family on a vacation to the Bahamas while "Extreme Makeover" begins their work. What they're going to do is move the Grommesh's existing house and give it to the Hajdari family as requested by Garrett. Then, "Extreme Makeover" will build the Grommesh family a new wheelchair accessible home.

We learn about the Hajdari family when "Extreme Makeover" visits them. They are a family of six, four kids and parents who moved to the United States from war-torn Kosovo. The father is having trouble finding work and says he's willing to do anything for work. The parents looked stressed as they chat with Ty Pennington.

Ty then talks to Arlinda. We find out that Garrett is sometimes bullied in school and she tries to help him from the bullies. She considers Garrett to be her best friend in school.

The first big moment on "Extreme Makeover" arrives with the two families together waiting for Ty Pennington to 'move that bus'. First, however, Ty explains to the Hajdari family that when the bus is moved, the house behind it is theirs and it's given to them by Garrett who wanted to pay it forward. The bus is moved, the Grommesh's old home is nicely landscaped on a new lot, and the Hajdari family are in tears thanking everyone. Arlinda, crying tears of joy walks over to Garrett and gives him a big hug. A touching moment for all.

" Extreme Makeover" then transports the Grommesh family to their homesite and once again, the bus is in place to keep the house hidden from view.

As "Extreme Makeover" reveals the new home that is wheelchair accessible to Garrett and all the kids who come to HOPE, Inc., the family is ecstatic. Inside the home, there is wide spaces for Garrett to move around in and there's an elevator to all floors so that Garrett does not need to wait for someone to carry him up or down stairs. There is a pool room that is ADA accessible and a cement walkway around the house that Garrett can easily access by wheelchair.

Adair and Bill are given a separate wing of the house for their nonprofit organization, HOPE, Inc. There is a room for activities for the kids in wheelchairs and there's a separate office for Adair to manage the bookkeeping. CVS Pharmacy is donating some brand new sports wheelchairs to their nonprofit organization for the kids to have.

Tyrone Leslie is the builder working on "Extreme Makeover" for the Grommesh family's new home and Concordia College has given scholarships to all 6 kids from both families.

Sometimes we, adults, can learn from kids and this "Extreme Makeover" show had a lot of meaningful and learning experiences in it. We learn that kids in wheelchairs can be just as normal as any other kid and we need to give them the resources to be all that they can be. We also learn that each of us has the ability to pay it forward in life, no matter how small a gesture it may be. Lastly, we learn to see life through the eyes of a 10-year old boy in a wheelchair. Garrett's message at the end of "Extreme Makeover" is to all kids and he says, "Kids in wheelchairs are not any different. It just matters whether they're nice or not".

Sources: ABC's "Extreme Makeover"
Hope, Inc.