A Kirkland swimming teacher is getting her century old house a much-needed rebuild courtesy of Ty Pennington and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.  Among those who will take part in the episode is the University of Washington swimming team, which will assist Connie Chapin in a special segment of her Extreme Makeover: Home Edition episode set to air in January.

The mother of four, whose only source of livelihood comes from teaching swimming to underprivileged children, got the surprise of her life Wednesday, when, out of nowhere and beyond her wildest dreams, Ty Pennington and the rest of the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition crew parked themselves in front her Highland neighborhood residence.

“It was an answer to a dream, an answer to a prayer, an answer to a lot of problems that I couldn't solve myself," Chapin expressed.

On Thursday, the Chapins lost their 100-year old residence when it was demolished in preparation for the new construction.  In its place, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition will erect a 3,500-square foot house complete with a 900-square foot attached garage and pool.

The Extreme Makeover: Home Edition intervention couldn't have come at a more opportune moment.  Chapin only recently found out through an independent structural engineer that her 100-year old abode could crumple any moment.

"Structurally, it's a mess," John Littlefield, member of the Extreme Makeover's design team declared.  "It could cave in at any time."

Chapin had sent in her own nomination tape and was eventually chosen from among 15,000 entries that Extreme Makeover: Home Edition receives every week.  She and her children have been sent on an all-expense paid trip, courtesy of ABC-TV, to Vero Beach, Florida, where they will stay at the Disney Vero Beach Resort for one week while local volunteers take on the task of building them a new home.


-Rosario Santiago, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: CBS-CSTV
(Image Courtesy of CBS-CSTV)