Rib Hillis, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition: The Girard Family
What is the definition of a hero?
Webster's Dictionary defines a hero as someone "distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength." Well, by that definition you will all agree that Marc Girard is a hero. And it is because of his heroism and his families tragic lose that we are here in Voluntown , CT this week giving back to a deserving family, The Girard Family.
Tom and Carol Girard were the proud parents of four, oldest son Marc, then Adam, daughter Jacqueline, Lucas and the youngest, Hannah. They were a community oriented family, who routinely gave their time and energies to helping others. Both Tom and Carol were Boy Scout and Girl scout troop leaders, as well as very involved in their local church. On any give winters day, after a snow fall you could find the Girard kids shoveling out their neighbors, as well as rakeing up the leaves that are prone to cover a yard in a New England town like Voluntown. The Girard family and their charitable deeds were well know around Voluntown. In fact, the family was at a fund raising event at the local fire startion in August of 2007, when word of their first tragedy came in: their house was on fire and subsequently burnt down.
But this didn't stop the Girard family, who gamely moved into a donated camper and continued to live with all the passion and generosity that they demonstrated before their house burned down. As it was related to me, Tom said, "It's only a house, we can replace it. As long as my family is safe." Unfortunately, this was not to be the only tragedy suffered by this family, and this time the family it's self would pay the price. On June 1, 2008 while taking three of his kids swimming in a local lake, Tom begin to suffer problems. He was swimming with daughter Hannah on his back at the time. Marc, the oldest son, who was on the shore with Lucas, rushed back in to retrieve Hannah and swim her to shore.
When he went back in to get his father, it was the last time the two of them were seen alive. Marc Girard demonstrated heroism, making the ultimate sacrifice in attempting to save his fathers life, refusing to come up with out his dad. Who would you not come up without? For Marc it was his father. Devastated by the two tragedies in one year, Carol and the remaining kids, moved in with a relative and tried to put their lives back together. Commuting 45mins one way, so the kids could remain in the same school, Carol did her best to salvage what was left in the house and of her life. B
eing a New Englander, I know first hand the difficulties in trying to build a house in Connecticut in December. But this week with the help of our amazing builder, Bruno and his indomitable team of volunteers, the town of Voluntown, myself and the rest of the design team are going to make sure that a family that has suffered so much already can have a home to grieve in and begin to rebuild their lives. So in the honor of Tom and Marc Girad, we will attempt the impossible, battle the elements and do what ever it takes to give this family the home the deserve, the home they need. Not only are we building a new home for the family, but in honor of Thom and Marc, we are going to try to give back to the community as well.
So this week, Extreme Makeover and the local Red cross teamed up to organizing the Thom and Marc Girard Memorial Blood drive. What better way to honor their memory and follow their example of community service than to give the gift of life by giving blood. It was an amazing week and should be an incredible show, so be sure to tune in and watch.
