Day 1: Door Knock
Today was a very special day for me. I have traveled the country for almost four years meeting amazing people with incredible stories. Today was no different. What was different was that the Ripatti-Pearce family hails from a place I have called home for the last 15 years — Redondo Beach, California. Kristina and her husband, Tim, are both police officers in the LAPD; they share a common love for helping their community and "beating the bad guys at their own game." They also shared a love for the outdoors, surfing, fishing, running and working out. A year and a half ago they welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Jordan, into the world. They were a family with everything going for them and a bright future.
But just four short months ago everything changed. While on patrol one night, Kristina and her partner chased a suspect who turned and shot her three times, paralyzing her from the chest down. Meeting these people and seeing everything they have been through — both physically and mentally — was a real eye-opener. Have you ever thought about spending the rest of your life in a wheelchair? I am so excited and proud to be able to help a neighbor and a hero — somebody who would do it all again if she could — to make our lives a little safer.
We sent the family on vacation to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, one of my favorite places. I was just there two weeks ago. We took down the tiny 900-square-foot house that was basically fighting against Kristina and her recovery, and we began to build a new "smart" house that will give her a lot more independence and hopefully help this family start the healing process.
Day 2: Demolition Day
I love demo day. It's very cathartic. Every family we meet, for one reason or another, needs a new home. The Rippati-Pearce home is the perfect example. Kristina couldn't circumnavigate this tiny little house and by no means was it wheelchair-accessible. Together with the LAPD, the Bomb Squad and the SWAT team, who showed up in force, we took this house down. Ever hear of a battering ram? Let's just say this house never had a chance. What an awesome show of respect and dignity. It's always a great thing to see a house come down so we can build a home that can help a family get back on their feet.
Days 3 and 4: Construction
We were 18 hours behind schedule! I can't tell you the last time we were more than four or five hours behind. It seems like after some 80-odd builds we'd have it together, but sometimes things just start to compound. We had everything you could think of to pull it together: an inspiring family, Vic Braden from Cornerstone Construction (our very talented builder) and tons of community support. But everything seemed to have hit the skids. We needed more volunteers: drywallers, tapers, mudders, etc. We actually went on the local news reaching out for help.
Day 5: Construction
I went on our local ABC 7 News and practically begged for help. Apparently if you ask them, they will come! It seemed like everyone in the L.A. area knew of Kristina's story, and when we reached out, the results were amazing! Not only did we have people show up from all over Southern California but we also had people from Arizona, Nevada and one couple from Canada. It's always amazing to me that there is so much good in this world. I guess what I learned is that sometimes you just have to ask for help.
Day 6: Construction
So we were back on track but definitely not out of the woods! You see, when you start to fall behind on a project like this, it is very hard to make up the lost time. Just when we were starting to see the light, another ridiculous hitch came our way: One of our volunteers backed into a fire hydrant, sending water gushing 30 to 40 feet in the air. We only had one road in and out to the house. and all access was blocked for almost two hours. You know what they say, when it rains....
Day 7: Welcome home, Ripatti-Pearce family!
Tune in this Sunday at 8 pm/ET, to watch ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition!
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