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Will Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Rebuild After Plane Crash?

Karen Wielinski and her husband Doug were inside their suburban Clarence Center, New York home with their daughter Jill when it was struck by Continental Airlines flight 3407, the Newark to Buffalo flight that crashed on Feb. 12. Karen and Jill survived.

Now, 75,000 strangers are trying to get them a new home. They've joined a Facebook group urging the popular home renovation show, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" to make the Wielinskis its next project. Producers of the show say they know of efforts to help the Wielinskis, but don't comment on casting. The family says it won't rebuild on the same site. Read more about the effort on ABC News.

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

    Karen Wielinski and her husband Doug were inside their suburban Clarence Center, New York home with their daughter Jill when it was struck by Continental Airlines flight 3407, the Newark to Buffalo flight that crashed on Feb. 12. Karen and Jill survived.

    Now, 75,000 strangers are trying to get them a new home. They've joined a Facebook group urging the popular home renovation show, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" to make the Wielinskis its next project. Producers of the show say they know of efforts to help the Wielinskis, but don't comment on casting. The family says it won't rebuild on the same site. Read more about the effort on ABC News.

    Keep clicking to see some of the show's best work.

    AP|Courtesy WROC-TV|Dave Sherman, AP

    "Grys family" -- "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" traveled to Pekin, IL to provide the Grys family -- in just seven days -- a better and safer home for their youngest son who has brittle bone disease.

    Dean Williams, ABC

    Dean Williams, ABC

    Dean Williams, ABC

    Dean Williams, ABC

    "Martirez/Malek Families" -- Ty and the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" designers visited both St. Louis and Ballwin, Missouri to give Dawn Martirez a safer home for her special-needs children, and to remodel Sam Malek's coffee shop that employs disabled individuals and donates a portion of its earnings to charity.

    Dean Williams, ABC

    Dean Williams, ABC

    Dean Williams, ABC

    Dean Williams, ABC

    "Jackson Family" - "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" kicked off its sixth season in Rockville, Maryland by helping Felicia Jackson, a single mother who is struggling to keep all of her 10 nieces and nephews out of the foster care system, and by presenting her a brand new home in a remarkable seven days.

    Kent Eanes, ABC



Recent Comments

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136 comments

Rlvanwey 05:14:22 PM Feb 25 2009

The family wants a memorial built not a house...please sign the petition for Home Makeoverhttp://www.petitiononline.com/Hope4You/petition.html

Rlvanwey 05:12:34 PM Feb 25 2009

The familly wants a memorial built on the site not a house...please sign the petition for Home Makeoverhttp://www.petitiononline.com/Hope4You/petition.html

Ziolkowskiwda 04:18:05 PM Feb 25 2009

They do deserve a new home, no doubt about it. But I think what needs to happen is since they are suspecting piolet error, the airlines should be the ones to foot the bill for their home amungst other expenses such as funeral, medical, pain and suffering and so on. The ones responsible for it need to step up and help the surviving rebuild and try to move forward with their lives. Too many times the wrong people are doing and picking up the tab for the ones who should be financially responsible.

mgerviss449 03:40:37 PM Feb 25 2009

Thru their lawyer the mother and daughter said NO NO NO NO. End of story, what about this don't you understand.

Meadow1998 02:55:38 PM Feb 25 2009

I would assume that between insurance and the airline, that these poor people will be taken care of. I think that Extreme Home Makeovers is geared more toward those that are really down on their luck and need a boost.

Carolm859 02:52:40 PM Feb 25 2009

Let the Airlines and the insurance take care of these people. They will do a good job. Let them move elsewhere and start over if they can. There are lots of other people that deserve the makeover.

BabyDoll22563 02:38:52 PM Feb 25 2009

I live in Buffalo, and it was devestating what happened. As I read some of the comments though, I see that many people are misinformed. The family DOES NOT want to rebuild in the same place where their home is now. They want to rebuld elsewhere, so please do no judge until you know facts. Also, I think this family deserves this, and I really hope that they get it.

Jkt2wheels 02:38:38 PM Feb 25 2009

Though I am from Ohio and don't know these people, I do know a lot of folks from Clarence,Alden and Buffalo.If these people are as caring and as giving as all the folks I know from that area, I say, "GIVE THEM A HOME!!! no matter where they want to have it built!

Umm Yeah Ok 02:19:22 PM Feb 25 2009

Continued - ABC is probably thinking the same thing. What has this family done for others? Theyre just honest people trying hard to look out for themself. No story there. What troubles do they have? no father, no husband, no house? Let insurance and eharmony.com take care of that. Come on ABC! Pimp their house! They deserve it! I swear! Id watch! Id shop at Sears! MOVE THAT BUS to NY and build them a house!

Umm Yeah Ok 02:18:49 PM Feb 25 2009

They definitely deserve this! They lost a husband, a father and their home!!! Im sick of all the other extreme home makeovers where so and so family got a mansion all because they cared so much for others. (Ex, adopting a dozen kids, letting homeless people stay, giving birth to a dozen kids, or just volunteer their time for free, rather than get a paying job) Thats great and all, but why do you think they cant afford the shack they live in now? I guess that just makes me a selfish B!@#$. Because I work, and plan to have a kid later when I can afford one. I could probably have one now, but money would be VERY tight, if anything were to happen (job loss, medical) that would be it. Shame on me for thinking ahead! I suppose I could donate my earnings to those less fortunate, racking up a lot of debt, and feed my husband and me nothing but ramen noodles. Maybe even have my mother help support us since we're so charitable to others, but no. Im selfish. ABC is probably thinking the same thi

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