Voluntown Family Picked For Home Makeover

By  LEANNE GENDREAU

Updated 4:33 PM EST, Fri, Dec 5, 2008

Related Topics: Thomas Girard

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New London Day/Dana Jensen

The crew for the television show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition gathers at the home of the Girard Family in Voluntown Thursday.

 

A Voluntown family’s tragic year is getting a little brighter. 

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Ty Pennington, right, leads the cast of ABC Television's reality show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition down the driveway at the temporary residence of the Girard family, of Voluntown, in Old Lyme Thursday morning.

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The Girard family is getting an "Extreme Makeover: Home Editon". The show's crew and designers will build their new home on Preston City Rd.

Voluntown Family Picked for Home Makeover

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The Girard family is getting an “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” Ty and his group will build there new home on Preston City Road.

The family suffered many awful things in the last year. A year ago, the family lost their home in an accidental fire. In June, Thomas Girard and his 18-year-old son Marc drowned during a family swim.

Thom and three of his children went for a swim in a local lake. When Thom began having trouble breathing, Marc made sure his two younger siblings were safe before rushing into the lake to help his father. Both died as Marc tried to save his father’s life, leaving Carol and her four children Adam, Jacqueline, Lucas, and Hannah devastated.  

Marc had just graduated from Norwich Free Academy and was planning to study to become a priest.

Thom, who was a computer technician, donated his time to fund raise for the elderly and the poor and to repair computers at the children’s elementary school. 

After the fire, the family members moved into a tent, then into a tiny camper on their property.

Eventually, they were forced to move to Carol’s mother’s house, almost 40 miles away from where the children go to school. The children sleep where there is room -- in the living room or in the cellar, due to lack of space.
 
The “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” designers will build the family a new home with the help of Colchester builder, Home Designs By Bruno, and hundreds of volunteers and workers.

As friends and neighbors help build them a new place to love, the Girard family will go on vacation to Walt Disney World.
 
 
 
 
 
 


Comments (10)

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  • Katherine Tuesday, Dec 9 at 10:22 AM FLAG COMMENT in the opening. 'there' should be 'their'
  • Kathy S Saturday, Dec 6 at 2:17 PM FLAG COMMENT Agree with you Mark G. First thing I did to find out more about how the project is coming along was to check on ABC's site, there was nothing. Glad NBC is doing this story, and please keep us updated. It's a hearwarming, wonderful event happening to this family who have had more than their share of suffering. This will help make this Christmas for them definitely memorable. Connecticut people are the best in coming togeth ... MORE >
  • Lisa Friday, Dec 5 at 11:51 AM FLAG COMMENT This is such a happy ending story. Congradualtions to the Girard family-for ALL the suffering and hardship they have gone through, I am so happy they are being helped in such a special way-they deserve it all. As for Ty (amazing & handsome) and the makeover crew....I applaud to them ALL for thier good heart, being dedicated to the work they do for all the poeple in need and I now truley beleive they are our guardian angels ... MORE >
  • steph Thursday, Dec 4 at 10:39 PM FLAG COMMENT Congrats Carol and all the kids!! Finally, a home to come to!!!!!! Love you guys!
  • Beverly Thursday, Dec 4 at 7:20 PM FLAG COMMENT Very excited for the Girard family. They truly deserve to have this opportunity to turn their lives around. After all of the suffering they have endured through the past couple of years, let's hope that this will give them a chance to rejoice and live a happier life in their new home. May God bless them all.

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