‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ to Help Family of 11 Year Old Suicide Victim

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On April 6th, 2009, 11-year-old Carl Walker took his own life, forever changing the Walker family. Carl had told his mother, Sirdeaner Walker, about incidents of being bullied at school. Since his tragic death, the family have focused their energies on trying to help others by lobbying for new state and federal laws against bullying.

The Walker house is a living memory of the most horrific night in this family’s life. The 3rd floor is where Carl took his own life, and as a result, the family can’t bear the sadness of that floor. Now Sirdeaner and her two children sleep in the living room, on a couch and two rollaway beds. The grandmother, who also lives with them, can’t access the 2nd floor at all, as the stairs are impossible for her. The house itself is over 100 years old and in serious disrepair, with myriad structural, plumbing and electrical problems.

The “EM:HE” design team has just seven days to build a brand new home for the Walker family, a new facility that meets their current needs and also honors Carl in a positive way without the haunting memories of the 3rd floor. The Walkers have been whisked away on a dream vacation to Hollywood, while “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” team leader Ty Pennington, designers Michael Moloney, Tracy Hutson, Jillian Harris, John Littlefield and local builders N. Riley Construction, Inc. as well as community volunteers, build the house and bring together organizations to “stand together” in the fight against bullying.

The build location is 124 Northampton Ave, Springfield, MA 01109