Utah Home Make-Over 2007

Meet the Groves Family - Kevin and Mandalina have three boys: Gabriel, 6; Gavin, 3 1/2; and
Michael, 15 months.

Gabriel was the youngest person in the United States to be diagnosed with the specific brain
tumor that he has been battling with. The tumor has caused several complications and may be
the reason for the severe seizures, asthma, reflux, sleep apnea, and limited vision from which he
suffers. Any illness or stress to the body causes Gabe to go into adrenal failure and without
medication, he would go into a coma and pass away. He is also autistic and suffered a stroke in
his central processing area during surgery , so he is slow to process and often understands
better with sign language, especially in a large crowd.

Gavin has severe allergies to medicines, foods, and outdoor sources and becomes unresponsive
after epi pens. He is fed through a feeding tube, or "g-tube," and only eats about 15% of his food
by mouth and has been hospitalized as much as Gabriel.

The Groves' youngest son, Michael, also suffers from massive seizures as and severe allergies to
medicines and some foods. When doctors tried to put Michael on medication to stop the
seizures he ended up in the hospital for four days due to an allergic reaction. Doctors are testing
and watching for cerebral palsy and/or a few other disorders.

Emergency experts in the area know the family well because ambulances have frequented their
home for several years and Medicaid has only been able to cover some of the medical bills.
Several months ago, Mandalina noticed a strange smell that she could not get rid of in her
upstairs bathroom. She cleaned and disinfected only to find that toxic mold was causing the
smell. Her children were often ill or sluggish and even fainted a few times while in their home,
most likely due to the mold. To help ease the effects of the mold on their home and their
children's health, Kevin and Mandalina used a hospital sterilizer to clean regularly but eventually
the family moved the whole family to the basement to avoid the toxins.

The Groves needed power downstairs, especially to regulate the temperature for Gabe with his
specific medical needs, but running the electricity to the basement has often shorted the whole
home and they have gone without electricity several times. The have also had major problems
with wiring, heating, and plumbing.

At the end of September, specialists and professionals came to test for mold and toxins and
found black toxic mold through the entire basement and a large portion of the main level of their
home. Building, plumbing, and internal structure problems have been the cause and the
professionals declared the Groves' home unlivable.

Since then, husband, wife, and the three boys have all moved in with Mandalina's mother, Sylvia,
until they have a place to call home. More testing has been done, and Kevin and Mandalina have
been told that all items in their home will have to be professionally cleaned and treated or thrown
away and their home will need to be completely knocked down and rebuilt.

Foote Homes and Wish To Reality in partnership with the Heart 2 Home Foundation have been
gifted a complete home make-over this spring 2008. Come out and join us as we gift a brand new
home to this very deserving family!