The Kansas City Star March 19, 2007
By Bill Graham and Joyce Smit
Extreme Makeover – Emotional arrival for family in Northland
Home, sweet home unlike any other
In one week, overcrowded residence is transformed into generous space for 12
Michelle Jacobo fell to her knees and wept as her children hugged her.
Her husband, Jesus Jacobo, shook his head in disbelief and sobbed harder each time he looked at the house volunteers had built for the family and ABC television’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”
Minutes before on Sunday, a long black limousine brought the extended family of 12 back to 4132 N. Spruce Ave. in Kansas City, North. They stepped out and could see a wildly cheering crowd estimated by one program official at 4,000 or more. But the show’s tour bus blocked the view of the nearly 5,000-square-foot house that replaced the approximately 900-square-foot one in a week’s time.
“Move that bus,” the crowd roared, urged on by show designer Ty Pennington.
The bus moved and the family wept, as did onlookers such as Shaina Long, Michelle’s niece who helped fill out the applications that landed the family on the show.
“We know they’re grateful for everything that everyone has done,” Long said.
The family stood in the street, awed by the three-level, 1920’s-style cottage with earth-tone greens, yellows and brown, copper gutters and flowers blooming in gardens and window boxes.
“You’re going to like it on the inside, too,” Pennington told them.
A crowd that had waited three hours cheered as the camera crews filmed the family walking across the yard about 3:30 p.m.
Earlier, fans mugged for cameras as producers filmed several takes of cheers, the bus and the limo.
Designers drove a black Ford Mustang convertible, a black Ford Expedition and a black Ford crew-cab pickup to the driveway – gifts for the family.
Jesus works long hours assembling cranes on trucks while Michelle cares for their four children and five nieces and nephews – from 6 months to 18 years old – in their custody.
Chelsea Young, 14, camped out with two friends overnight to see the family arrive. The eight-graders are school-mates of Antonio Jacobo at Eastgate Middle School in Kansas City, North. They wanted to show their support and grab a front-row view for the show.
“The house is like king of the neighborhood,” Chelsea said. “There are going to be some parties.”
Builders, volunteers, Kansas City Wizards soccer players and show designers Paige Hemmis, Mike Moloney, Ed Sanders and Tanya McQueen also lined up to greet the family.
The Jacobos walked to the front door and paused as camera crews prepared inside.
Ray McMahan, 69, Michelle’s father who lives with the family, waved to other relatives waiting nearby.
“You just can’t find the words for this,” McMahan said from the front patio. “It’s awesome.”
He hoped his bed was good because “I feel like I’ve been standing in airports for three days.”
The family was bumped off a flight Saturday and arrived back in Kansas City early Sunday from a vacation in Florida. They planned to spend Sunday night at a hotel, then go back to the house for more filming today.
The public won’t see the interior until the show’s broadcast, which a senior producer said was tentatively planned for May 13.
Grandpa Ray will have his own bedroom, bath and kitchenette.
Jesus and Michelle have a large bedroom with big closets and a Jacuzzi bath, instead of the unheated converted garage where they slept before.
The oldest girls have wood-trimmed rooms with features such as canopy-style beds. The younger girls have a bedroom with décor such as Bratz dolls.
In the lower level is a soccer-themed recreation room with a big-screen television. Two of the older boys share a sports-themed room, while two younger boys share a room with themes of science, planes, trains and automobiles. Designers and painters applied 32 different colors and finishes in the house, said Wolfgang Trost, the architect.
“Everything went fabulous,” Trost said. “We had 106 hours to work with, and we got it done in 92 hours.”
Outdoor landscapers and other designers worked with one consistent theme, said Dwayne Lukowski, owner of Artistic Design Lawn and Landscaping of Shawnee.
“We want them to feel like they’re home,” Lukowski said, “that it’s not too great for them, that it’s comfortable and they just enjoy it.” |