Nominate Van Orsow Family for ABC Extreme Makeover Home Edition

My name is Frankie and I would like to nominate Andrew Van Orsow and his family from Faribault, MN for Extreme Makeover Home Edition. I am 14 years old and Andrew's Mom, Denise, has been my Daycare Provider since I was 2 months old.

I know firsthand the difficulties the family has been through. Andrew has Cerebral Palsy and is disabled because of his premature birth. Andrew is in a motorized wheelchair all day long and cannot transfer in or out of his chair without help. He only has the use of his right hand to do things for himself. Bathing, hairwashing, shaving and other personal care are done with the help of his parents. That limits his ability for independence. He has had 19 surgeries in his 21 years. 3 of the hip surgeries he has had required a body cast from his armpits to his toes for 10-12 weeks each time. His last surgery was to correct his curved spine. He was in a hospital bed for 2 months in his bedroom (9'x12'). He has anxiety attacks and one of his biggest fears is falling down the narrow stairway in his wheelchair. He has a wheel chair lift to go to the basement.

Included in Andrews family is his twin sister Amber,age 21. His Dad, Paul, age 55, that works construction. Well over half of his paycheck goes to pay for health insurance for the family. His Mom, Denise, age 52, provides daycare in their home. She is there to keep a handle on Andrew's medical, therapy and day to day needs. When the work day is done they are home to care for Andrew.

One of the problems with the Van Orsow home is that the 1700' rambler house is not accessible for the motorized wheelchair. There are numerous dents, scrapes and holes in doors and walls because of the wheelchair and narrow kitchen and hallway. We have to move things out of his way when he gets home (like boots, shoes and backpacks) because there is inadequate storage near the entry. Andrew has difficulty entering their home due to the odd angle of the enty made by the closet.

There is re-occuring mold on the windows, baseboards and walls. This mold triggers his asthma and upper respiratory problems in the winter because the house is closed up. It may be due to water leaking into their basement after heavy rainfall. The bathroom has barely enough room for Andrew's wheelchair, and when someone tries to help him at the sink, he needs to reposition his wheelchair many times so anyone can get behind him to pass by to get to the other side of him. The kitchen table has to be moved each time he passes through the room. There is no chance for him to gain independence in this narrow galley kitchen. Denise and Paul cannot entertain another family because the size of their kitchen doesnt allow room for the 4 of them to sit comfortably. When they entertain, they have to do it outside in nicer weather or in the basement of their home, which is really inconvenient. They deserve better. Andrew deserves better.

The driveway is somewhat hilly and gets very slippery in the winter. This can be a problem when he is trying to get to the bus in the morning.

I am inspired by Andrew and his love of God and his sense of humor. He wakes each day with a smile on his face and a song in his heart. He is my hero for being so kind to others. He would rather that people see him as a person and not a disability. Andrew strives hard to overcome the severe anxiety, panic attack and depression. He has struggled with these issues for several years. Now with better medication he feels ready to pursue his goals of going to college.

The Van Orsow's are very giving. Amber is on a church mission trip to help rebuild the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. Amber has also donated hair to Locks Of Love. The family has given to those serving in Iraq. Denise has taught us at daycare that it is better to give than to receive. Each Christmas we buy gifts for a family in need.

An Extreme Makeover would be a huge blessing for the Van Orsow Family.

Update: Andrew enrolled in college in the fall of 2008, at Southwest State in Marshall, MN. He did not expect to battle severe depression after he started that first month. It got so severe, Andrew was forced to withdraw and move home. He found the help he needed after being correctly diagnosed with Depression and prescribed a new medication. In October of 2008, Andrew enrolled in the community college here in Faribault. He attended from January to May 2009. He was pleased to find the results from final test for the three classes that he enrolled in as one B+, and two A's.

In 2009 and 2010, Andrew has suffered severly from depression which has forced him to take incompletes and In-progresses in many of his college classes. This has hurt his completion rate and he now fights for his academic standing and financial aid to return. Although missing class has been due to his depression... and is deemed an excused absence. I know Andrew seems to keep fighting for his return so he can get a college degree and be able to live life and gain his rightful independence.

Way to go ! He is awesome!!!!