Episode
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition: The O'Donnell Family
Overview
Columbus, OH � The Thomas family are given an extreme makeover.
Details
- Series
- Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
- Season
- Season 4
- Episode
- Episode 16
- Air date
- 2007-02-18
- Runtime
- 60 min
Episode context
The O'Donnell Family is Episode 16 in Season 4 of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. It aired on 2007-02-18. The runtime is 60 min.
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Episode 15: The Thomas Family
Raleigh, NC. The Riggins family are given an extreme makeover.
Linda Riggins grew up poor and in the projects, where she was told she would never make anything of herself. She didn't let this get her down, though, and graduated college with honors and degrees in Childhood Education, Social Work and Women's Studies. She, along with her visually impaired husband, William, have dedicated over fifteen years of service to Building Together Ministries, a non-profit center designed to help disadvantaged parents and children. But recently the Riggins themselves have fallen on tough times: Linda has had several surgeries, their medical bills have become overwhelming and now their house is in bad need of repair. Despite all this, Linda and William greet every day with a smile and focus all of their energies on their young and enthusiastic children and on their community.
While Ty and the designers, builder Homelife Communities and hundreds of volunteers and workers are rebuilding their home, the Riggins family will go on vacation to Walt Disney World
Episode 17: The Tate Family
Austin, TX. The O'Donnell family are given an extreme makeover.
The story of Patrick and Jeanette O'Donnell, the parents of six children, is a rare and heartbreaking one. Five out of their six children have been diagnosed with and suffer from multiple forms of autism that range from simple communication limitations to severe physical and social problems. The O'Donnell family's case is exceedingly rare, as national autism experts have not recorded a single other family in the United States with five autistic children. Classic autistics have problems talking, relating to people and playing. They can be hypersensitive to their environment and react strongly to certain sounds, colors and textures. Caitlin, the oldest at 15, and Kiernan, their youngest at 5, have the most severe form called classic autism, and are expected to live with their family their whole lives.
More episodes from this season
Episode 14: The Riggins Family
Chicago, IL. The Noyola family are given an extreme makeover.
While Ty and the designers, local builder Norcon Inc., and hundreds of volunteers and workers are rebuilding their home as well as revamping their grandmother's home, the Noyola family will go on vacation to Walt Disney World
Episode 18: The Tipton-Smith Family
Tampa, FL. The Tate family are given an extreme makeover.
Tom and Cynthia Tate are well known in their tight knit community of Davis Island. Tom is the co-owner of Tate Brothers' Pizza and is responsible for giving most of the kids in town their first jobs, while Cynthia is extremely involved with the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and the PTA. The Tate Brothers are involved with almost every volunteer or charity event around Davis Island, and it's been said that many of the island kids have grown up in the Tate house. In that respect, June 12, 2006 was a rare day when the house was not filled with neighborhood kids. Out of the entire Tate family, only Cynthia was at home when a plane crashed into the house. The pilot was killed, along with the family pets, and the co-pilot was badly burned but survived. Cynthia miraculously escaped without any injuries, while the house and everything inside it was destroyed. To make matters worse, because of a clerical error, the home was not insured, so the Tates are unable to pay off the existing mortgage, let alone rebuild their home.
Episode 13: The Noyola Family
Lincoln, NE. The Fullerton-Machacek family are given an extreme makeover.
This loving family of seven love spending time together, but it's difficult since they still live separately. They split time between Kenny's cramped house and Theresa's even more cramped apartment. Kenny and Theresa want to be married and to finally be united under one roof, but the condition of Kenny's home has made it difficult to be sold. The three-bedroom, one-bathroom home is over a hundred years old and unsafe. Currently the two basement walls are buckling, the refrigerator isn't working and there's a leak in their only bathroom that they cannot afford to fix
Episode 19: The Wilson Family
Waleska, GA. The Tipton-Smith family are given an extreme makeover.
Faith Tipton-Smith is a single mother raising two girls, 16-year-old Missy and 8-year-old Emily. After working at the same job for 25 years, Faith was finally able to purchase her first home in July of 2004. On February 4, 2005 the unthinkable happened when this new home that Faith and her family had worked so hard for burned to the ground. They lost everything, including countless cheerleading trophies, family pictures, clothes and even their dog, Sugar. This family lost everything they cherished and loved. But, most importantly, everybody in the family was safe. During this time, Faith's 16-year-old son, Ransom, was her biggest support, helping his sisters with school, keeping the family together and, as time allowed, playing his favorite sport -- golf.
Episode 12: The Fullerton-Machacek Family
Redondo Beach, CA. The Ripatti family are given an extreme makeover.
Husband and wife Tim and Kristina worked together as police officers in the gang division of the LAPD. They met on the job and are married, with baby daughter, Jordan. Despite the extreme dangers of their jobs, Kristina and Tim are both happy and proud to serve and protect their community. But just how dangerous their jobs could be became terrifyingly clear this past summer. One night Kristina and her partner followed a man who was acting suspiciously. When he started to run, they pursued him on foot. Kristina caught up to him, but then he shot her. Her partner in turn shot and killed the gang member and called for help. Over the radio Tim heard that an officer had been shot, and he immediately rushed to the scene to find his wife fighting for her life. Kristina survived the incident, but today is paralyzed from the chest down.
Episode 20: The Jones Family
Longs, SC. A family who lost their house and their son within the span of three months will get a new dream home that they can fill with memories and love.
Episode 11: The Ripatti-Pearce Family
Logan, UT. The Pauni family are given an extreme makeover.
When Janet and Danny left the island of Tonga in 1991, it was to give their family a better life and a better education. Danny was the strong leader in this family and the glue that held them together. That's why it was as if a bomb had hit when he suddenly died in May of 2004 from a heart attack, leaving Janet a widowed mother of nine (eight children and one nephew living in the home). With no life insurance policy and the sole provider gone, this tight knit family has been struggling both emotionally and financially.
While the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition design team, local builder Kartchner Homes of Logan, Utah, and hundreds of workers and volunteers are transforming the Pauni's house into a dream home, the family will vacation in a private yacht in the British Virgin Islands.
Episode 21: The Westbrook Family
Brandon, MS. The Jones family are given an extreme makeover.
Sabrena Jones is a single mother raising three children -- 18-year-old Marjon, 17-year-old Mardaireus and 9-year-old Marjiya. As a practicing nurse at a local hospital, Sabrena has never had time to focus on herself. Using her background in nursing, she opened up a medical apparel shop which, after financial setbacks, she now runs out of her living room. In addition to this, she runs her own clothing donation center, which led to Sabrena's being selected to serve on a Hurricane Katrina relief committee at her church. To date, her organization has supplied hundreds of thousands of dollars to families and organizations hurt by the devastating natural disaster. The Jones family put serving their community first; they involve themselves with such charitable organizations as Toys for Tots, Mission Mississippi and many more
Episode 10: The Pauni Family
Campbellsport, WI. The Koepke family are given an extreme makeover.
Matt had dreams of renovating his home and finishing the renovations on the town Mill, but those plans were put on hold once he was diagnosed. He will be missed but never forgotten. Before Matt died, he had a chance to ask EMHE for one wish -- to take care of his family and give them the home they deserved.
While the Ty and the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition design team, local builder Monarch Homes, contractors and hundreds of workers and volunteers remember Matt's dreams and work together to transform the Koepke house into a dream home in a remarkable seven days, the family will go on vacation to San Diego.
Episode 22: The Collins Family
Lawton, OK. The Westbrook family are given an extreme makeover.
Gene Westbrook, the father of three children -- Elizabeth, Katie and James -- volunteered to fight in Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he was left paralyzed and received a purple heart. After being medically discharged from the military, he devoted his time to speaking about his experiences and helping others in his town. Along with his wife, Peggy, they are respected members of a close knit community, but Gene had to jump through many hoops just to be able to afford a handicapped-accessible van that allowed him to drive.