Gary Bayless, Katrina Carr, Rina Carr, Haydn Carr, Nikolas Carr, Mike Carr, Ryanne Carr, Joe Runnels
Everyone knows about Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (EMHE). The show pulls down monster ratings every week with uplifting stories in which hundreds of people – from supremely qualified design professionals to volunteers who know nothing more about homebuilding other than that they’d like to give it a try – descend on the home of a genuinely deserving family and turn it into a residential wonderland. But what could easily become a tired, sappy schtick is kept fresh and inspiring because, well, the families deserve it (and the ladies do love Ty Pennington). Take the Carr family from Mineola chosen by the show for the East Texas rendition: Katrina and Mike Carr adopted their four children from Kazakhstan and worked incredibly hard to overcome the challenges they’ve faced financially and with a long string of health issues for parents and children alike, all from a home that was simply not up to the standards necessary to care for them, but filled to the brim with love nonetheless. Mike and Katrina met while working at a summer camp for special-needs children. After they married four years later, the couple followed their passion of making a difference in the lives of others by adopting four kids from Kazakhstan who were abandoned at birth. Two of the children were born with Amniotic Band Syndrome, which caused Ryanne, now 6, to have both legs and one arm amputated, and Rina, 3, to lose a leg. Their BSCENEMAG.COM
brother Nikolas, 9, was recently diagnosed with Sensory Integration Disorder, which affects his behavior and ability to concentrate. Compounding the family struggles, health problems have required their father Mike, 41, to have both pancreas and kidney transplants over the past decade and he continues to have seizures. Despite these life complications, the family is an inspiration in the truest sense of the word, and the demolition and rebuilding of their home will have an impact that will stretch on long after the last ABC cameras are unplugged and packed away. Things in television move quickly, but when Gary Bayless and Joe Runnels of Bayless Custom Homes got a call from the producers of EMHE early this year, inquiring about their participation in the ultra-renovation franchise, they didn’t think they’d be walking through the process a few short days later. “Back around Feb. 1, [EMHE] called Gary,” said Runnels, during a break between affixing lamps to the new stone entryway. “Then, they called us in the office the following Monday and formally asked us if we’d like to do it. We said yes, and a day later the guys showed up to walk us through the process!” If the process was quick, the decision by Bayless to take on the project was at lightning speed. “We had a chance to see the family beforehand – on the videotape – and we saw what it was about, and the cause,” remembered Runnels. “We both thought it through and
were reminded of what the Bible says: ‘To whom much is given, much is expected.’
“We’ve been given a lot this last year, so we wanted to be sure we contributed back, and gave the praise to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
And give back they have. Putting together a model car in 106 hours would be a struggle for most of us, and seeing the progress on this domestic wonder in only a few days inspires awe. “Considering that we started this less than a week ago,” said Bayless, taking a break from an endless slate of building, filming and meetings, “to be this far along is unbelievable … Really I’ve enjoyed just watching the people working, and how it’s all come together in such a short amount of time. I’ve appreciated the people’s attitudes and it warms my heart to see that kind of community involvement and the spirit of giving.” Runnels echoed Bayless’ sentiments. “My favorite thing of all to see is the amount of volunteers that come out in the rain and the cold and the mud,” he said, amazed. “It doesn’t matter, they work and give it their all and they don’t stop.” Though, it must be said, both these seasoned professionals were rendered speechless by the designs and themed rooms MARCH/APRIL 2010
No. 17