Extreme Home Makeover has Bowling Green Ties

Posted: 7:23 PM Feb 17, 2008
Reporter: Morgan White

ABC's Extreme Home Makeover team paid a visit to Kentucky to surprise on lucky young man.

America saw Patrick Hughes get the gift of a lifetime, but it wouldn't have been possible without the help of a generous Bowling Green business.

"The new home is absolutely wonderful. We love it," says Patrick Hughes.

Patrick Hughes lives in Louisville with his family, and like most teenagers, he loves music.

But being blind has posed some major challenges for Hughes.

To Hughes' surprise, ABC's Extreme Home Makeover team came to Kentucky to help make things a little easier for him and his family.

"I couldn't believe they would select us. I mean our old house was a decent house. It just wasn't very accessible, and had a few problems so to speak. But they would select me over probably a lot of other families that were more deserving maybe," Hughes says.

Becoming part of the team was Clinton Mills with Hitcents here in Bowling Green.

"ABC came to us and asked us to do a voice activation for Patrick Hughes," explains Mills.

The system cost around $140,000.

It allows Hughes to control the TV, doors and radios in the home, making things much more accessible for the teenager, who is very grateful for the generosity.

"I would say to those people who who gave me this gift, thank you very much. It's absolutely wonderful, and I can't believe that they would do that for just an ordinary guy living an ordinary life so to speak," Hughes says.

Mills says he wanted his business to be a part of the project.

"It was a good thing to do. I mean we heard about the story and we know the system's capabilities. So, we thought it would be nice," he explains.

Patrick Hughes was given an incredible gift, but it's his advice that's truly worth receiving.

"It doesn't matter what kind of problems you might face on a day to day basis or what kind of obstacles you might conquer. If you set your mind to achieve a goal, then you can do it," he says.

Patrick Hughes and his family went to London while their home was being completed, and Patrick says it was an incredible experience he'll never forget.