Middleton family gets makeover

By Jon Meyer jmeyer@idahopress.com


MIDDLETON— It took only 106 hours to build the Stockdale family’s “Extreme Makeover” home in Middleton. But it created four months of anticipation.

Sunday, viewers got a chance to see the inside of the farmhouse-style residence built by hundreds of volunteers last summer as the ABC show was broadcast nationwide.

As the secrecy ended, the family spent the entire day at unveiling functions, including a behind-the-scenes sneak peek at a special documentary film in the morning with contractors and people who pitched in to help. It culminated with the episode in which host Ty Pennington showed Ryan and Karia Stockdale and their four children the many special features of the home.

“You’re like excited and nervous all at the same time,” Ryan Stockdale said at the showing of the “Live Large, Give Large” documentary at Meridian’s Majestic Cinemas. “You’re excited to see the community in action again, but you’re nervous to see yourself on national TV.”

MIDDLETON — The six members of the Stockdale family of Middleton spent Sunday morning at a behind-the-scenes preview of a documentary detailing the construction of their new house by “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” By the evening, they got to watch themselves on national television.

Hundreds of volunteers who assisted with the construction of the house came to the morning’s documentary screening that took up four theaters at Meridian’s Majestic Cinemas. Dozens of the 200 donors showed up, too, including building partner CBH Homes.

Ryan and Karia Stockdale offered tearful thanks to the crowd of well-wishers who constantly surrounded them inside the theater.

Though still in their 20s, Ryan and Karia have faced numerous challenges in their lives. All four of their children are under the age of 8 and have been diagnosed with eosinophilic enteritis, a white blood cell disease that prevents them from eating many normal foods— requiring them to be fed through tubes in their stomachs.

The challenges grew worse because of problems with their former small, one-story home in Middleton that aggravated the children’s illness, Ryan said. That’s changed now.

“The house is amazing,” he said of the new two-story spacious abode. “Used to be, you’d come home with the pressures from work to worries and concerns about the house. You don’t have that anymore. You can just concentrate on loving your family.”
Karia echoed his thankful remarks.

Family plans tours

The Stockdale family tentatively plans to give tours of the new “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” house on Dec. 29. Proceeds from the tours will be donated to the couple’s alma mater, Middleton High School, which sustained heavy damage in a fire earlier this year. More information will be announced as the tentative date grows nearer.
remarks.

“I can’t even put into words the gratitude we feel,” she said. “We just fall to our knees every night and are grateful that we live where we live and that when you need it, the community will rally around you.”

Even after the “Move that Bus” moment when the Stockdales first saw their new home, the assistance from the concerned community continued.

The family has received thousands of dollars in fundraising assistance. The College of Idaho has promised scholarships for all of the children as well, with Boise State University offering Ryan a scholarship as long as he’s a Bronco. R.C. Willey just announced Saturday their donation of $50,000 worth of furniture and accessories for the home.

The new two-story farmhouse features hardwood floors, spacious living areas and filtered air — important after the last house constantly made the children sick. Each of the kids’ bedrooms carries a different decoration pattern, including Star Wars, Winnie the Pooh, Abraham Lincoln and farm themes to fit each of the youngsters’ tastes.

“The kids love their new rooms, and believe it or not, every one except the 2-yearold keeps them spotless,” Karia said. “They’re so proud of (the rooms) they put everything back where it was when they got them.”

Donors thrilled with
experience

When donors, builders and volunteers come together like they did for the Extreme Makeover shows, they hope it is for a worthy and deserving cause, CBH Homes vice president Ronda Conger said. The Stockdales “more than fit the bill.”

“They’re the most wonderful, charming and deserving family,” Conger said. “This is the most amazing thing we’ve ever been a part of.”

It was an easy choice to want to help the family, CBH Homes owner and president Corey Barton said. “They’re just top notch people ... It was an honor and pleasure to help them.”
Barton, Conger and the rest of the CBH team didn’t meet the Stockdales until the “door knocking” moment, but after getting to know the family, hopes are high for their future.

“I’m very excited for what the team did. It was a great job,” Barton said. “(It) gave them a nice clean environment for the kids to grow up in.”

National spotlight shines

After seeing the episode air on television Sunday night, Ryan spoke about the awkward feeling of seeing himself on television and described the experience of seeing “the other side” of the build.

“You know for us it was like one day it just appeared,” he said. “It was great to see the other side of things and what went on.”

Now that the show is over and the house has been opened, the family will be “moving on,” Ryan said. “All that’s happened really gives you the perspective to look at everything else that’s happening in a new way.”

“It’s kind of like you can get back to business,” he said of life after “Extreme Makeover.” “You can get back to caring for the kids ... This was all so amazing, but to see the episode air and see it end, it’s like another ‘whew’ moment.”