Read more: Local, Community, Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Amanda Suggs, Derrick Suggs, Sterling Homes, Ty Pennington, Paige Hemmis, Ed Sanders, John Littlefield, Harry Dill, Clinch Heyward, Horry County, Loris, Jeff Gordon
It was a busy first day at the site of Extreme Makeover Home Edition in Horry County.
It began with the door knock by Ty Pennington and the design team, Paige Hemmis, Ed Sanders, and John Littlefield. Joining them is celebrity builder, 4-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Jeff Gordon.
They're in Horry County to build a home for the Suggs family. Derrick, 28, and Amanda, 26, have two children of their own, Walker, 5, and 9 month old Mason. They've also adopted Amanda's three younger brothers, James, 19, Jacob, 17, and Jordan, 10.
"We were really surprised. Of course, we knew we were in the running, but we had no idea. It's just--it's amazing It really is," Amanda told NewsChannel 15.
As the show began taping, neighbors gathered to watch.
"They're so wonderful. We know this family is very deserving and we're so excited. Anything that they are going to do for them is going to be wonderful," said neighbor Mary Smith.
The builders were watching the family's reaction from a production van.
"The more you learn about this family, the more you will admire them. And so it's a great privilege for us to be here," said Clinch Heyward of Sterling Homes.
Then, it was time for the Braveheart walk. The volunteers who will spend countless hours working on the new home suited up in their hard hats and blue T-shirts and marched up to the family's home.
There to help out, the 2007 Horry County recipient of a new home from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Renee Wilson.
"I want to try my best to be here everyday. I want to do everything in my heart to be here. It's not about TV or nothing like that. It's about love. It's about giving back," Wilson said.
As the day drew to an end, everyone got ready for the work to really begin.
"It'll be a long week. Everybody asks me, does this get any easier? The answer is no. It doesn't get any easier. It's still tough... There will be some challenges along the way, but we will get it done," said Harry Dill of Sterling Homes. Sterling Homes was lead builder on the 2007 Horry County Extreme Makeover Home Edition build of Renee Wilson's home and was also chosen for the 50-state reunion build in New Orleans.
