| Woman
drives 312 miles to cry with Pauni family
JUST GOTTA
SEE IT: Diane Wright, left, drove from Nampa,
Idaho, to see the unveiling of the Pauni home. /
Photo by Irene Gudmundson
By Irene Gudmundson
October 23, 2006 | Diane
Wright sold her Brooks & Dunn tickets to drive 312 miles
just to see the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
"My husband asked me why I
wanted to come because all I do when I watch the show
is cry," she said.
She left her home in Nampa, Idaho,
at 9 a.m. Friday and arrived in Logan around 2 p.m.
Last week, she started to receive emails from her mother-in-law
with all these construction crews and an old home. She
didn't get it.
But when she saw some famous faces
in the shots, she recognized right away as her favorite
show that she's watched every week since it aired, and
she knew she had to come and see it in person. One hundred
dollars later, sales from her concert tickets, Wright
enjoyed every minute of the construction.
Wright planned to be at the site by
8 a.m. Sunday. With no tears Saturday, Wright expected
to cry Sunday after hearing those famous heart-wrenching
words, "Move that bus!"
Wright wasn't alone Saturday. As
the sun reflected off their white and orange helmets,
the construction crew worked on finishing touches on
the exterior of a huge new home; painting the garage
door a dark brown, and metal roofing over it; setting
up flower pots and the backyard. People from around
the area came to check out the home, which was revealed
Sunday in the early afternoon after the Paunis returned
from the Virgin Islands.
Saturday's work was filled with lots
of volunteers, from Utah State University students to
Logan Cub Scout troop 227, members of which were filmed
by ABC's crew as they set in place several plant and
flower displays by the new front door.
Thanks to an anonymous donation, even
a well-known local celebrity visited the site. Brent
Carpenter, best known for his energetic bike horn and
smiling wave, was part of the first group of those not
associated with the construction team to tour the interior
of the home.
With few words but lots of smiles
and giggles, Carpenter rode onto the site, quickly put
on his Home Makeover T-shirt and in his words,
"cold" blue helmet. The $2,000 donor asked that from
that gift four people from the community receive a tour.
FAMILIAR FACE:
Logan's bike-riding ambassador of goodwill, Brent Carpenter,
arrives at the Pauni home Sunday. / Photo by Irene
Gudmundson
RB
RB |
