Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on ABC

By Ally Matteodo

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on ABC aired at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 15^th, and fully deserves the title of Best of the Week.  In this episode, team leader Ty Pennington and his group of designers travel to Vermont, where they help the deserving Vitale family.  Sara and Lou Vitale have two sons, Kane and Louie.  Louie suffers from many medical ailments, and must be fed through a tube.  At times, he must breathe through a tube as well, and is limited in his mobility.  The family’s house presents problems when it comes to these medical complexities.  The corridors are too narrow for a stretcher or a wheelchair to travel comfortably.  There is no suitable foundation, so the family is literally afraid of their house collapsing.  The house is cramped and has too many contagions in the air for someone with breathing problems.

The Vitales leave for the medical foundation David’s House, where they stay for a week while Ty and his team work to rebuild the family’s entire house.  With the help of builders and volunteers the house is demolished and the group rebuilds the house from the ground up.  They build a handicapped-accessible playground in the back yard, put air filters in four different locations in the house so Louie will be able to breathe more easily, make a magnificent master bedroom with an actual door (before this, the Vitales did not have a door on their master bedroom), and reupholster Sara’s beloved heirloom chair.  In Kane’s room they include a train that simulates real train sounds, and in Louie’s room they install a pulley that will allow him to transport himself to the bathroom and bathe himself when he’s older.  On top of all this, one of Sara’s dreams was to initiate an exhibition called “Angel Boy Art.”  Even though Louie cannot speak, he can still communicate through art, as many other children can.  “Angel Boy Art” is testimony to the power of artwork.  One of the shows designers, Paige Hemmis, arranges for children’s art, including Louie’s, to be on display at a real exhibition in an art gallery.  Sara and her husband Lou are absolutely thrilled when they see the culmination of their dreams.

There are so many wonderful elements at work in this show.  The Vitales are a loving family who must work 24 hours a day to keep their son Louie alive.  His need for care is apparent, in addition to the family’s need for a better, safer home environment.  Extreme Makeover: Home Edition makes this dream a reality with aplomb, style, and grace.  The designers use creativity and flair in redesigning and redecorating the home; they are certainly not just going through the motions.  From team leader Ty Pennington to the volunteers, everyone contributes to making the experience even better for the Vitales.  Sara’s inspiring concept of Angel Boy Art is another touching moment in the show, and also throws light on just how important and unifying art can be.  This is a family that proves, in the words of one of the designers, that “unconditional love supersedes any medical news you get.”  This is truly a story of hope, courage, dedication, and monumental sacrifice and love.  It makes one realize just how beautiful the world can be, and just what is possible when people come together out of love.

Best TV Show of the Week

The Parents Television Council - www.parentstv.org