Introducing the Carr Family from Mineola, Texas

Mike, Katrina, Nicolas, Haydn, Ryanne, Rina

Meet Mike and Katrina Carr who met while working at a summer camp for special-needs children.  After they married four years later, the couple followed their passion of making a difference in the lives of others by adopting four kids from Kazakhstan who were abandoned at birth.  Two of the children were born with Amniotic Band Syndrome, which caused Ryanne, now 6, to have both legs and one arm amputated, and Rina, 3, to lose a leg.  Their brother Nikolas, 9, was recently diagnosed with Sensory Integration Disorder, which affects his behavior and ability to concentrate.  Compounding the family struggles, health problems have required their father Mike, 41, to have both pancreas and kidney transplants over the past decade and he continues to have seizures.

Yet for all the challenges Ryanne, Rina, Nicolas and Mike face, Katrina, 37, and daughter Haydn, 8, carry on with unfailing spirit and optimism.  Being a triple amputee hasn’t stopped Ryanne from climbing trees, riding a handcycle and running.  She has learned to rely on different prosthetics for different activities.  Katrina, who has a master’s degree in education, home schools her children who otherwise would miss public school classes too often for doctors’ appointments.  Mike teaches environmental education at camps for special needs kids and also is an artist and jewelry designer.

The Carr family’s strength of character and loving support for each other are not enough to overcome the challenges of their living quarters.  Their small three-bedroom home is at high risk for fire due to a faulty electrical system.  The one working bathroom is inaccessible for Ryanne and Rina, and the house’s narrow hallways are difficult for them to maneuver.  The air filtration system is ineffective, leaving germs and dust that especially jeopardize Mike’s health.  Furthermore, the plumbing system leaks throughout the house and the septic tank backs up creating mold problems.

Now it’s up to Extreme Makeover: Home Edition team leader Ty Pennington and the generosity of East Texans working in conjunction with Bayless Custom Homes to give the Carr family the household resources, space and comfort they deserve…..Let’s Move That Bus East Texas!