[tri-med] Pekin IL - Extreme Home Makeover

Nick & I were at Easter Seals in Peoria today and Nick's physical therapist 
said the crew from Extreme Makeover Home Edition was in Pekin IL this morning 
announcing they were going to give a new home to a little boy that has 
osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease) and dwarfism.  He goes to the 
same Easter Seals as Nick and has the same orthopedic surgeon.  He gets the 
same drug  "pamidronate" at St. Jude's in Peoria IL that Nick gets for his 
bones.  Nicholas had a recent dexa scan and it showed a 20% improvement in his 
bone density!  Yeah! 
Ty Pennington was at their house this morning with the crew and tomorrow they 
will send them to Disney World.  The demolition of the house will be Thursday 
and the reveal will be next Tuesday. 

PEKIN -- "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" is in Pekin to provide the Grys 
family in just seven days, a better and safer home for their youngest son with 
special needs who has brittle bone disease.
Stephen Grys, a special education teacher and his wife Jean have been foster 
parents for 25 years, fostering over 250 children.  Their adopted son, 
eight-year-old Easter Seals Ambassador Jake Grys, suffers from Osteogenesis 
Imperfecta (a.k.a. Brittle Bone Disease) and Dwarfism.  Jake was not expected 
to live more than a few weeks past birth.  He far exceeded doctors' 
expectations and has an above average intelligence with a bursting personality. 
Inspired by Jake's spirit, Jean founded the Illinois Osteogenesis Imperfecta 
Foundation Support Group (OIF). She created an adoption listing within the OIF 
and helps private agencies find adoptive placements for children with 
Osteogenesis Imperfecta from India and China. 

The entire family is involved in fundraising for Muscular Dystrophy Association 
(MDA), St. Jude, Easter Seals and the Special Olympics. In addition to 
coaching, competing and caring for the needs of the Special Olympics, Jake's 
siblings, Josh and Zach have been camp counselors for the MD camp for six years 
and Abagail and Rebekah have spent summers working with disabled children at 
"Sunshine Camp".

Jake's greatest desire is to be able to do things independently. Physically 
Jake cannot get a drink, go to the bathroom, turn on a light or even open a 
door. Jacob is so delicate that he sleeps in a dog bed made of memory foam so 
he won't fall off and break his bones. Now with the help of "Extreme Makeover: 
Home Edition," Jake's independence can become a reality and his family can 
continue to focus on their community service.

While Ty and the designers, local builder Design Built Homes, Ltd. and hundreds 
of volunteers and workers are rebuilding their home, the Grys family will go on 
vacation to Walt Disney World.

The design team for this episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" will 
feature team leader Ty Pennington and designers Michael Moloney, Ed Sanders, 
Rib Hillis and Didiayer Snyder.

The episode will air sometime in December or January.

Makeover Schedule

Day 1: Tuesday, Oct 21 - Ty Pennington knocks on the door and informs that 
family that they have been chosen. Media will be informed which family was 
chosen after the door knock. Family leaves on vacation.

Day 2: Wednesday, Oct 22 - A professional mover transfers their belonging to 
storage, and demolition of the house takes place.

Day 3: Thursday, Oct. 23 - Construction begins. At this time volunteers start 
working.

Day 4, 5, & 6: Friday, Saturday & Sunday, Oct. 24-26 - Construction continues.

Day 7: Monday, Oct. 27 - The Key Turn Over followed by the Big Move-In Scene.

Day 8: Tuesday, Oct. 28 - On this morning it will all come together. The house 
will receive its last flourishes and the streets will close at 11:00 a.m. At 
this point the family will come home. The typical "Move that Bus" scene occurs 
in which all the volunteers and local Central Illinois supporters can gather 
for the reveal. Lastly the family will tour the house with the beloved Ty 
Pennington to cap off the weeks work.

Day 9: Wednesday, Oct. 29 - This final day is a press conference with both the 
family as well as with Design Built Homes.



Jayne 

                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

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