Thursday, April 2, 2009

Welcoming an 'Extreme Makeover' after Mourning the Loss of a Friend

If you live in Indianapolis, then surely by now that you’ve heard that ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition is in town helping the McFarland family by partnering with Estridge to build them a new home and by constructing a community center on Indy’s east side.

Well, Butler University got involved with the project yesterday as we hosted the show’s design team, production crew and several adoring fans inside Hinkle Fieldhouse for a special video shoot to let the McFarland family know that not only do they get a new house, but their mortgage is paid in full!

Myself and my P.I.C. (partner-in-crime), Hink, were on hand to welcome the crowd, meet the designers and production crew and just have a good time. Here are some shots from the evening featuring me with designers Ty Pennington, Michael Moloney, Paige Hemmis and Paul DiMeo.

For the rest of the photos, check out http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=72132&id=23981937738&l=de697d51d2

The show airs weekly on Sundays on your local ABC affiliate at 8/7 central. This specific episode will air on May 17th, but don’t look for me as I don’t think that I actually made it into any of the filming.

The ABC Extreme Makeover Home Edition was a good distraction for me this week as I’ve been mourning the passing of my first canine friend, Gabe, an Golden Retriever.

Gabe was the childhood dog of my dad’s good buddy and colleague, Uncle Kyle. I came home as a puppy on May 20, 2004. That next weekend was the Indianapolis 500 and so, Gabe and his parents took me in for the day so my parents could go enjoy the race. I was just a pup at the time and Gabe was a season veteran. He showed me the ropes and we were buddies ever since.

Gabe experienced a pinched nerve on Monday and was unable to use his back legs after that. That meant he could get up, walk, or do anything that a normal dog could do, so after 13 great years, Gabe went to doggy heaven on Tuesday morning. Rest in peace, Gabe! I’ll miss you!

Blue II

No comments: