Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Wraps Filming at Suggs Home in Loris
By Lauren Poster
Monday afternoon saw the realization of a long-awaited dream for Horry County residents. This day marked the area’s second “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” reveal. The Suggs family of Loris, SC was welcomed to their new home by the show’s cast, volunteers, and a supportive complement of spectators numbering close to 5,000, according to an estimate made by the Horry County Police Department. With many arriving as early as 7:30 a.m. to view an event scheduled for noon, attendees were packed more tightly than the fibers in a shoelace as the afternoon wore on and anticipation grew.
/media/images/Myrtle_Beach_Home_Makeover_Reveal_-_09.jpgSpectators had to park miles from the Suggs’ property in order to be shuttled there on buses provided by the show. The roads were still well-sealed by area police, and people who attempted to reach the build site by foot were denied access so that an accurate assessment of attendance could be made. Nell Cartrette, who knows Derrick Suggs’ parents and grandparents, said “we were here at 8:00 this morning ... I think it’s wonderful, myself, to leave a place like that and come back to something like this.” “This” is a beautiful 3,700 square foot home with a barn-style theme and BMX track in the backyard for the kids, surrounded by serene ovals of technicolor-green grass. Vibrant whites and reds give the impression of a freshly painted toy from Santa’s workshop.
The Loris High School cheerleading squad was on hand to keep the crowd entertained, along with their ferocious mascot, a six-foot tall lion wearing the permanent growl of intimidation. Kenisha Franks, a squad member, said they were “really excited to be [there] ... we’re gonna do some cheering and stunts.” What kind? “Show and go, elevators and extensions.” The last things mentioned are deceptively named. They are not, as you might imagine, hydraulic metal boxes, nor are they hairpieces. They turned out to be gravity-defying acrobatic flips. The girls pumped up the crowd, shouting “when I say ‘welcome,’ you say ‘HOME!’” Everyone was willing and ready to cheer, but never so much as when famed host Ty Pennington finally arrived on the scene sometime around 11:00 a.m.
Photo Gallery
Nonchalantly joyriding into the circular driveway of the new Suggs home, Ty’s arrival was unannounced, and caused twitters of excitement in the growing crowd. One lone voice was heard screaming, “I love you, Ty” even after the din had silenced. Ty was not the only celebrity in the crowd. Actually, show staffers were easy to locate due to their slightly higher-than-average attractiveness level. Most likely they are used to working for seven days straight and still having to be daisy fresh.
NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon was on hand to greet the Suggs, graciously talking to fans and signing autographs for hopeful kids. Even as the time drew dangerously short, hands were still working to complete the home. Furniture, mirrors, and plants were hauled across the ravaged yard to the little oasis of home in front of the crowd. The show’s Locations Manager, Andrew Harris, worked to keep spectators under control so that filming could be accomplished.
/media/images/Myrtle_Beach_Home_Makeover_Reveal_-_11.jpgMany of the trademarks of the show must be pre-filmed to make sure they are captured in a way that is presentable. The crowd was asked to shout the famous “Move That Bus” repeatedly, inciting unwarranted excitement from those in the back who did not realize they still had long to wait until the magic happened. Brady Connell, Executive Producer for this episode, asked the crowd to avoid looking directly into cameras, clowning or waving to friends. Unfortunately, real life is not always perfect. People shout at the wrong time, camera angles get lost.
But there was nothing canned about the emotion seen on the faces of the family as they were introduced to their new home. That was a moment that could only be captured once, and can hardly be described in words.
Connell went on to say, before the big moment, that Horry County had been “the most courteous” of all the sites they had visited. “We’ve been so impressed by the courteousness, graciousness, and kindness of the people of Horry County and South Carolina in general ... you’re showing the world what kind of people you are.” Steve Maupin, a retired New Jersey police officer and member of the Myrtle Beach Hogs (a Harley Davidson organization) was a great example of that generosity. Despite having to take time out to support his wife through a cardiac catheterization procedure, for which he missed one day of volunteering, he and around thirty of his fellow Harley riders showed up to help this week. Two Men and a Truck’s Greg Savitski, who donated a moving truck and several hours of his staff’s time to unload the former home and provide storage for the build, said he was happy to help. In a phone interview he said “it felt rewarding to give up a few hours of our time for people who have given of themselves.”
Monday was a testament to the success of our community, and of the hard work put in by Extreme Makeover’s cast. Once again, an incredible task was accomplished in an unthinkable time frame, to the benefit of a giving and loving family whose lives will likely never be the same.
There are no comments posted. Add yours below.