Just got back from Miami County, Indiana.
Hallmark Homes built a beautiful house for the Cowen-Brown Family. We went there because of their 12yr old daughter Kori (that’s I-ROK backwards) she suffers from an immune deficiency disease. Their home was a mess with mold and other problems that not only put Kori in the hospital but two of her brothers. Kori has had about 17 operations to remove polyps from her sinuses and throat.
A few years back while Kori was at the hospital she met a little girl Alyssa who had leukemia. We had Alyssa with us all week long; she has been in remission for 4 yrs and is one of the coolest 11yr olds that I have ever met… I like someone who puts me in my place. The photo is of the two girls… Kori has the blonde short hair and Alyssa has the long brown hair.
After Kori met Alyssa and other kids at Riley North Cancer Center she started raising money for cancer research. I think Kori was 8 when she started raising money. She has raised over $35,000.00 dollars!
I spent a morning with Alyssa and David Cook from American Idol at Riley North Cancer Center and meet some of the kids on the second floor were they go for different kinds of treatment.
A long with Alyssa these kids have more heart, more wisdom than most people of any age. They talk about goals and how important it is to work towards achieving those goals and having that be the battle, not the cancer. That my friends is called wisdom. When you talk to the Doctors and Nurses they are the first to tell you how wonderful it was having Kori there to give hope to the kids.
Also, this was the first build where I had the chance to work with Xzibit. I had such a great time with him. He had great ideas and kept me laughing the whole week. He was very committed to doing the right thing for the family. That’s all you can ask for. 
I hope I get the chance to work with him again.
Alyssa , Sam, Christina, and Randy thank you so much for your company this week. Alyssa I have already hung your tree in the house. I love trees!!!
Paul DiMeo while best known as the carpenter with attitude on ABC Television’s two-time Emmy winning Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, is also an established actor, a man’s man and the first to cry on his hit show. 