An Iowa family’s plight was the focus of the A-B-C television network’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” show Sunday night. The show opened with the show’s star, Ty Pennington, riding a combine. The Kibe family from Gladbrook in Tama County lost their home in a fire and lived for nine months in a trailer.
Ty Pennington and crew showed up, and Penningtom talked with the family. The show chronicled the building of a new home for the family, as well as a newly-renovated barn for their livestock operation. But first, there was a sort of combine demolition derby in the family’s front yard before the combines were used to demolish the barn and garage that remained on the property.
Ed Sanders, a designer on the show, told the viewing audience why they’d bought 20 calves to replace the cattle the Kibe’s sold after the fire to make ends meet.”We’re going to give the family their livelihood back, which is what I’m most happiest about,” Sanders said on the show.
The show ended with the show’s design team giving the family a new puppy and the show’s host, Ty Pennington, wished the family well. “Well, I guess there’s just one thing left to say. Welcome home, Kibe family. Welcome home,” Pennington said.
Amy Kibe said the show had helped give the family their lives back. Their home and the other property improvements were made with donated materials and labor. At two points in the show, there were references to last month’s Iowa/Iowa State football game as it occurred when the show was taped.