'Extreme Makeover' Home Edition Visits the Browns of Bridgeport, CT

'Extreme Makeover' Home Edition Visits the Browns of Bridgeport, CT

Family Struck By Tragedy On Three Devastating Occasions

BRIDGEPORT, Conn., July 25 /PRNewswire/ -- This morning the Brown family of Bridgeport, Conn. received the surprising news that Ty Pennington and the gang from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (Sundays, 8/7c ABC) will build them a new home in just seven days. The Brown family home is located at 285 Hollister Avenue in the East End neighborhood.

Each episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition features a race against time involving a team of designers, contractors and hundreds of workers who have just one week to totally rebuild an entire house - every single room, plus the exterior and landscaping.

The episode "Brown Family" will air during the 2007-2008 season.

Church Elder Gloria Brown always wanted better for her children, her community, and herself. She worked hard to move her family of four out of the projects and, in time, she became a proud homeowner. Just as her life seemed to be coming together, tragedy struck the family not once, but three times. First, a flood devastated their home. Then, it was destroyed by a fire.

The fire was caused by kids throwing firecrackers that nearly destroyed the majority of the house. Most of the family escaped the horrific fire, including their dog, but if it were not for the bravery of Gloria's 16-year old son, Fred, who knocked down the door that had his mother trapped, she would not be alive. If that tragedy was not enough, following the fire their home was repeatedly robbed and stripped of everything of value. Despite these tragedies, Gloria is committed to make her community a better place.

Together the Browns have founded a variety of creative outreach programs. Through Gloria and her daughter Bobbi's youth-based radio show that celebrates the achievements of the youth in the community and offers encouragement to those who need it, the Browns have become a positive voice to teens in the community.

Bobbi also is the youth president of the NAACP in Bridgeport and recruits young people in the community to be more active. In their church and community center, Gloria and her children teach youth and adults to express themselves through dance, song and music. Additionally, Gloria founded the Bridgeport community annual festival that brings the entire community out of their homes and into the streets; a program that makes strangers, friends, and neighbors family.

This family is the heart of their community and neighborhood and they deserve the help that is coming to them. In this episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Ty and the gang head to Bridgeport to show a family that good deeds don't go unnoticed.

While Ty and the designers, local builder Gulick Associates, LLC, and hundreds of volunteers and workers are rebuilding their home, the Brown family will be on vacation in California.

The design team for this episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" will feature team leader Ty Pennington and designers Michael Moloney, Paige Hemmis, Eduardo Xol, and John Littlefield.

The series is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. It is executive-produced by Denise Cramsey. David Goldberg is the president of Endemol USA.

Source: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

CONTACT: Alice Ferreira, +1-203-610-1521, alice.ferreira@healthnet.com,
or Caryn Kaufman, +1-646-765-6006, cskaufman@hotmail.com; or ABC Media
Relations, Los Angeles, Jonathan Hogan, +1-818-460-7016, or New York, Mozell
Miley, +1-212-456-6444, all for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

Web site:

http://www.gulickassociates.com/extreme/index.htm

NOTE TO EDITORS: IMPORTANT: To obtain media credentials, call 203-260-5906 PRIOR TO ARRIVING ON SITE MINUTE-TO-MINUTE UPDATES: http://www.gulickassociates.com/extreme/index.htm

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