Permanently blinded in the November slaughter at the Radioshack were he was working, Tampa Bay man Jamie Dolan got a little gift from the home repair show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and their sponsors: a custom-made mansion for him and his family, scholarships for his children, a car, retirement money, a guide dog, and everything else they could possibly think of to pile on. They took a look at Jamie's old house, decided it was best to demolish it and build a new one, and the whole thing just snowballed as more and more sponsors signed on and added things. It's Queen for a Day to the nth degree.
Jamie had gotten the extra job at Radioshack to get money to pay for repairs on his house.
You wish every victim of senseless violence could get such treatment, but you have to take what you can get.
Lots of video and pics of people doing nice things and being happy.
Get out your tissues; you'll need them.
Boy, oh, boy, some people sure.are.greater.than.great.
I love this story: such wondrous good coming from such terrible wrong.
Posted by: -S- at May 2, 2005 12:31 PMI'll admit, I got something in my eye when they showed him the house and gave him that dog.
Posted by: Bill from INDC at May 2, 2005 01:35 PMCharity done right.
Posted by: Gmac at May 2, 2005 01:40 PMOh, my God, I cried and cried.
Not only did they donate the 30K to the Seeing Eye charity to cover the cost of the dog and its training, but they went over and refurbished the charity's kennels too.
Everything about this story just choked me up. You listen to the horrible 911 call then you read these wonderful articles...that something so nice could happen to a guy who went through something so awful, and that so many people reached out to help him and his family.
It just makes me feel good about people.
Posted by: Donnah at May 2, 2005 01:56 PMJeez, I just love that show. What a wonderful, wonderful story. Aw dang. There I go.
Posted by: tree hugging sister at May 2, 2005 05:05 PM