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Shelley Osterloh ReportingA Sandy family that has endured a lot of health problems and hardship is getting help from a team of generous businesses and volunteers. Actually, it's more than just help, they are getting a new home.
The Smeltzer family has lived in their Sandy home for more than twenty years and raised eight kids there, with the three youngest Breann, Emie and Sarah still at home. 53-year old David has a rare and incurable neurological disease similar to Multiple Sclerosis and its getting progressively worse.
Vicki Smeltzer: "He falls and that's what frightens me is that he is falling in here all the time."
His wife Vicki says he is forced to use a walker because he can't get his wheelchair inside or around the house. But that's not all that wrong with this house.
Vicki Smeltzer: "It has mold, the staircase is not safe, the bathrooms are not safe. Nothing is up to code."
14-year old Breann sleeps on the sofa because her downstairs bedroom has mold, and she suffers with the same disease as her father.
Originally members of Heart 2 Home came to remodel her bedroom.
Tiffany Berg, Heart 2 Home Foundation: "I realized as I understood the families dilemma that they were going to have years and years ahead of them of difficulty."
So instead of a room makeover, volunteers plan to demolish the house on Monday and build a new larger, handicap accessible home in its spot.
David Smeltzer: "So this is going to allow me to have normal life, that I've lost, that I haven't had for a while. And that's the most precious thing for me that I can be more self-sufficient rather than depend on other people."
The Smeltzers have packed their belongings; the girls will say good bye their artwork on the wall.
Breann Smeltzer: "It's going to be sad because I've lived in this house my whole life; but it's exciting because this house has so many problems, you just can't live in it."
Breann's older brother also has the disease and will return home to live. Now life looks a little less overwhelming for David and his family.
Sarah Smeltzer: "He'll be able to take his chair where he wants and see the whole house, not just the few parts that he can get into."
Vickie Smeltzer: "I cant believe that people have come into our lives that really share and care still about the quality of human life."
David Smeltzer: "This can be a house for the family for a lifetime that can service the needs that this disease may hand us. I don't think I'll ever be able to say thank you enough."
Monday the Smeltzer Family goes on vacation for two weeks and thousands of volunteers move into to demolish their old home and build a new one.
