Murfreesboro Diamond

Early morning wake-up brings good news February 21, 2007 - No reporter cited

By Brandon Marcello and Heather Grabin

The Collins family of Murfreesboro awoke Monday morning to a scream, and now their lives will be changed forever for the better.

“Good morning Collins family!”

Ty Pennington and ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” design team arrived in Murfreesboro, shouting that hit television show’s popular phrase as Kim and Dennis Collins awoke for a new day.

 RealSteel, based in Rogers, and “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” are eager to help build a safe and secure home for this hardworking logger and his extended family, according to a RealSteel press release.

The Collins’ teenage son, Mitchell, survived a rare form of brain cancer when he was a 3-year-old. The ailment left him impaired mentally.

Then, when Kim Collins’ favorite cousin was killed in a car accident, the Collins family refused to allow her cousin’s five children to get separated by the system and took them all into their home, according to the press release.

“Without consideration for their own comfort, the Collins family fought to reunite five children that were struck with grief of separation from each other after the loss of their parents,” Steve Butcher of RealSteel said. “Out of thousands of applications received by ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ producers, this family was picked to receive a new house and I am very happy for them and honored to help do the job.

“During the construction of this house, and of the airing of the show, many lives will be touched. Even though very few participants will ever meet the family, each volunteer and worker will become part of the Collins’ extended family and will forever be blessed by the experience. Whether received on earth or in heaven, the greatest rewards always come from helping others. I recommend everyone give it a try.”

Along with local volunteers and skilled laborers, RealSteel will bring its entire 70-person building crew from Biloxi, Miss., where the turnkey team has been rebuilding in a residential community in the Gulf Coast region that was lost during Hurricane Katrina, according to a RealSteel press release.

Helping deserving families isn’t new to Butcher or his partner, Russ Wright. RealSteel was founded by Butcher and Wright after their companies, PB2 and Stoam Industries, teamed up for the fourth edition, third season of ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ to assist Camp Barnabas, a camp for special needs children in Purdy, MO. The team along with many other southwest Mo. and northwest Ark. companies, built three buildings in five days using many of the products and ideas that go into building RealSteel homes.

Demolition of the Collins’ home is scheduled to begin at noon on Wednesday, Feb. 21. RealSteel and its trade partners hope to build the new house in 100 hours and hand the keys to Ty Pennington and the ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ design team on Sunday, Feb. 25. The family is expected to arrive on Monday, Feb. 26, to witness the unveiling of their beautiful new home.

The ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ which has won back-to-back Emmy Awards as Best Reality Program (non-competitive), will enter its 4th season on ABC. The program is produced by Endermol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. Denise Cramsey is the executive producer; and David Goldberg is the president of Endemol USA. The show airs Sundays (7-8 p.m. CST) on the ABC Television Network.

↑ Top