Extreme Makeover Wilmington edition

WILMINGTON - February 6, 2008 Volunteers were busy Wednesday in preparation for major work ahead. Once the duplex is demolished, it will be replaced in just seven days by ABC's Extreme Makeover Home Edition team. On Tuesday, Ty Pennington's bus rolled up to surprised a divorced mother of four and her elderly next door neighbor affectionately called Grandma Rose.

Rose Chatman is a surrogate grandmother to Ju-Juanna Latif's family, a family that struggles with an aging house that is not handicapped accessible for 9-year-old James who has cerebral palsy. The extreme makeover means James will no longer have to be carried up and down stairs.

"We are just so happy. We wouldn't want to have this without her having this, too," Ju-Juanna Latif said.

Steve Anderson is the builder who agreed to take on the 7-day challenge. He was reluctant until he heard about James; Anderson is the father of a special needs child.

"I couldn't say no at that point because it became personal and we live minutes away, but there are people living all over the area dealing with the same things we are, but they haven't been as fortunate," Steve Anderson of Anderson Homes said.

Neighbors are happy good fortune has finally found the Latif family.

"It's fantastic, they deserve it. I'm so happy for Ju-Juanna and her family," Felecia Carter said.

This is the first time the ABC design team has taken on an inner city duplex. 300 to 400 volunteers have agreed to help with this project.