Dean Miller Surf Bedding on ABC's "Extreme Make-Over: Home Edition"(Aired December 10, 2006)
Probably one of the most amazing things I have ever witnessed. Dean Miller Surf Bedding got a call from the TV show "Extreme Makeover" to donate some items for the Ripatti family who were selected by ABC to get a complete extreme house make over. Ty Pennington's design team was interested in our Hawaiian baby bedding for the Ripatti's little girl Jordan. We sewed up an entire surfboard themed crib set for their daughter Jordan, and made a custom tin sign just for her that said "J" is for Jordan with a stick figure hula girl dancing.
I went up to the Ripatti's house in Redondo Beach, California to drop off the custom bedding, and was amazed at what I was saw. This crew literally built an entire new house inside and out in basically a week. The place was packed with people in those blue ABC Extreme Make Over t-shirts. You would walk in, and there were people everywhere working. In the same small area you would see one guy with a giant saw cutting up the floor, while above him is some other volunteer priming the walls. It was amazing that nobody got hurt. I got a tour of the house from one of the production folks, and then we went into the garage to put our donations. This garage was Filled with cool stuff! Quiksilver had donated surfboards, and wetsuits, there were tiki statues, kayaks, new bikes, anything you needed for the beach was here. It was great to see all the surf community come together in such a generous fashion, and donate so much stuff to try to make their life a little easier.
Here is the story of Tim and Kristina Rippatti, and watch the video below if you get a chance. I know it's a little long, but it will suck you in!
Husband and wife Tim and Kristina worked together as police officers in the gang division of the LAPD. They met on the job and are married, with baby daughter, Jordan. Despite the extreme dangers of their jobs, Kristina and Tim are both happy and proud to serve and protect their community. But just how dangerous their jobs could be became terrifyingly clear this past summer. One night Kristina and her partner followed a man who was acting suspiciously. When he started to run, they pursued him on foot. Kristina caught up to him, but then he shot her. Her partner in turn shot and killed the gang member and called for help. Over the radio Tim heard that an officer had been shot, and he immediately rushed to the scene to find his wife fighting for her life. Kristina survived the incident, but today is paralyzed from the chest down.
Confined to a wheelchair, Kristina now endures rigorous physical therapy. Because of her condition, the small two-bedroom home that she, Tim and Jordan live in can no longer accommodate them. The Ripattis need a wheelchair accessible home with a third bedroom for Tim's mother, Jean, who wants to live with the family to help care for Kristina and Jordan. Kristina and Tim's lives were changed in an instant that night, but she is a fighter and is still fighting today. Both Tim and Kristina have served their community; now it's time for the community and the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition design team to salute these local heroes and build them a better and more accessible home.
While Ty and the designers, a local builder and hundreds of volunteers, like Dean Miller are rebuilding their home, the Ripatti family will go on vacation in Los Cabos.
Watch the Video Here:
The "un-veiling" of Baby Jordan's room starts at the 1:11:30 mark, and you can see the Dean Miller custom crib bedding in our "Summer Slumber" design.
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