The Grys Family is enjoying their new home. 

WHOI, thank you for the coverage you gave for this important project!  Design Built Homes Team

Story from WHOI News:                                          Meet Jake

PEKIN -- “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” is in Pekin to provide the Grys family in just seven days, a better and safer home for their youngest son with special needs who has brittle bone disease.

Stephen Grys, a special education teacher and his wife Jean have been foster parents for 25 years, fostering over 250 children. Their adopted son, eight-year-old Easter Seals Ambassador Jake Grys, suffers from Osteogenesis Imperfecta (a.k.a. Brittle Bone Disease) and Dwarfism. Jake was not expected to live more than a few weeks past birth. He far exceeded doctors’ expectations and has an above average intelligence with a bursting personality. Inspired by Jake’s spirit, Jean founded the Illinois Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation Support Group (OIF). She created an adoption listing within the OIF and helps private agencies find adoptive placements for children with Osteogenesis Imperfecta from India and China.

The entire family is involved in fundraising for Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), St. Jude, Easter Seals and the Special Olympics. In addition to coaching, competing and caring for the needs of the Special Olympics, Jake’s siblings, Josh and Zach have been camp counselors for the MD camp for six years and Abagail and Rebekah have spent summers working with disabled children at “Sunshine Camp”.

Jake’s greatest desire is to be able to do things independently. Physically Jake cannot get a drink, go to the bathroom, turn on a light or even open a door. Jacob is so delicate that he sleeps in a dog bed made of memory foam so he won’t fall off and break his bones. Now with the help of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” Jake’s independence can become a reality and his family can continue to focus on their community service.

While Ty and the designers, local builder Design Built Homes, Ltd. and hundreds of volunteers and workers are rebuilding their home, the Grys family will go on vacation to Walt Disney World.

The design team for this episode of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” will feature team leader Ty Pennington and designers Michael Moloney, Ed Sanders, Rib Hillis and Didiayer Snyder.

The episode will air sometime in December or January.

Jake's story Read more here

Jake's Petition with a great story.  Read more here

PJ Star Read more here