"I thought I'd maybe have some drywall repair," said Colleen on the day of the reveal. "I couldn't believe they just did everything…there's no place like home."

BRIDGE CITY, Texas – They were dream homes two weeks in the making – and done just in time for the holidays.

Volunteer crews from as far away as Illinois and OBI disaster relief workers from Virginia were on-scene in Texas to rebuild, paint and furnish two homes destroyed by Hurricane Ike.

When the hurricane made landfall in September, a huge storm surge swept the area and flooded homes with several feet of water, leaving behind mud, muck and mold.

Within days Operation Blessing was on-scene helping residents clean up debris and start the rebuilding process.

But OBI decided to go a step further and surprise two families in need with an "Extreme Blessing” home makeover.

Both sets of homeowners were asked to leave for two weeks and let work crews gut the homes and "replace some drywall." They were told not to expect too much.

Gerald and his wife Gloria are both in their 60s and disabled. Gerald alternates between using a walking cane and a wheelchair and Gloria is on dialysis.

Colleen, the second homeowner, is a retired grocery store worker living on a limited income. She is raising a great granddaughter plus her two teenage grandchildren who were orphaned after the death of their mother .

Both homes were flooded during the storm and neither family had flood insurance.

"Without our help they would not have been able to return home,” said Jody Herrington, OBI’s director of U.S. disaster relief.

Before and After: Gerald and Gloria's bathroom.

During the first week, volunteers prepared the electrical and plumbing as well as finished gutting both homes.

However the real manpower behind these dramatic makeovers came during the second week thanks to a team of 108 student volunteers from Rockford Master’s Commission in Rockford, Ill., who tackled the drywall, painting and landscaping in just 7 days.

They even sifted through the families’ wet and soggy belongings to help salvage anything they could.

With the houses staged and ready, it was finally time for the "big reveal."

Both families returned home to a cheering crowd of volunteers, signs and balloons, and, most importantly, a new start.

"I thought I'd maybe have some sheetrock repair; I didn't expect the whole house to be up," Colleen said. "I couldn't believe they just did everything…there's no place like home."

"It's moments like this where you see people’s hope restored… and help them realize they can get back on their feet again," Herrington added.

 

HOW YOU CAN HELP
You can help by making an online donation toward OBI's disaster relief efforts. With your support, we can continue to provide emergency relief and recovery. Please make an on-line donation today.

 

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