Extreme Makeover deadline has been extended

The deadline for nominating a family in need for ABC-TV's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" has been extended to July 11.

[Steve Rowland]

My young adult niece lost her entire family within 8 years. First her only brother, then her father (my brother), then her mother and then her only sister all to different circumstances. Shortly after Heather married, she was expecting their first child, both of her husband's sons from a previous marriage came to live with them. They then had their son and then her sister passed away, leaving two sons. Heather and Jeff took those boys in also. They then had their second son 3 years ago.

At one time this meant they were raising 6 boys between the ages of newborn and 16! And only 2 of them were "her" children. All of this before she was in her mid-twenties.

They rented a house for a few years. Her husband got hired on a job that he still has today and believe it or not, she now works full-time, all with 6 boys at home! They do not make a lot of money but were able to manage to buy an older home in an older neighborhood in Lafayette, Indiana. The oldest boy, her nephew, is now on his own so they are down to "only" 5 boys to finish raising. The youngest is 3 and the oldest is 17.

Heather is a wise and careful shopper but there just isn't enough money to fix up this older home that they live in and if anyone deserves help, it is Heather (and Jeff). To take all of this on in her early twenties without even really knowing how to cook well yet has been quite remarkable. She is such a sweet young lady. Oh, also, the 11 year old nephew is a "special needs" child. Heather also cares for her "special needs" uncle. While he has had help getting an apartment on the other side of town, Heather also takes him anyplace that he needs to go and oversees his health and meals and medicine, etc. and her husband picks him up from his "work". Their cars seem to always be in the process of needing to have things done to them and they have this older home on a quiet street and so deserve a home makeover. This could be a lovely home with some well deserved help.

[pamela hardsaw]

Im from borden indiana..Im married to jamie I have 2 kids tyler 8 haley 2.haley was born with majior herat and lung desase.she lived 4 hours with no pulmonary atry..{you cant live 5 min without one} in her first 2 years of life shes had.3 strokes.5 respatory arressts.5 code blues,2 open heart surgrys,8 heart caths and much much more.if her atryies in her lungs dont grow she faces a heart and lung trans plant..her docs.are just in awww of her she looks like a normal 2 year old.and they cant explain it..but haley needs a bigger better home with clean hospital air to breath to keep her lungs strong and healthy.winter is hard on her and is on oygen most of the time in the winter.germs are a enmy to her a cold turn to bad news for her..she is a fighter for sure and has come so far in her little life,we would give her the world we just cant give her a new clean air home that she can be a kid stuck in the house because of a desase she was born with..we liv in a little mogular that attracts dust.because its so small she sleeps in are room for safty so we can watch her closly.are son gets scared when we go to the hospital..hes afraid his sisters never cming home.her last surgery he gave her his glow in the dark care bear and told her to follow the light home..because her dease is rare we just take it day by day.and we learn as she grows.her life is hard and complicated.but shes strong and not ready to give up without a big fight so we dont take life for granted.she has shown us that what you get in life you have to fight for and the rewards are more then you can ask for...if I had to pick a hero it would be her.she a brave little girl..theres so much more to her story but.Im not good a typing as you can see(ha ha ha).I know there so many kids like haley fighting for there life.and I think evrey single one of then should get a chance at happiness.they give so much I wish they could all get a deserving wish..