Citizen Staff Writer
Our Opinion
The recession has been especially tough for local homebuilders and subcontractors. They nonetheless stepped up in outstanding fashion to help a deserving Tucson family.
Hundreds of people from the building industry pitched in to construct a home for 14-year-old Lizzie Bell and her family as part of the TV show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”
Bell’s ailment, Diamond Blackfan anemia, was diagnosed when she was an infant. The congenital disorder, which affects 600 to 700 people worldwide, prevents production of the red blood cells that sustain life by carrying oxygen throughout the body.
The Bell family created a foundation that raises awareness about the ongoing need for blood donations.
Their home fell into disrepair. So local builder John Wesley Miller led an effort to demolish it and build a new home in just more than 100 hours, turning it over to the family Tuesday.
It was a touching and generous outpouring for an amazing family.