Sandra Forester

Jul. 5, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- When Joy Sams' only daughter, Erin, was born with a life-threatening heart defect 16 years ago, she promised her baby that she'd make life worth living if the child stuck around.

In her first 15 months, Erin survived pioneering surgeries to help her heart compensate for the left side that never developed.

Since then, the single mother and her daughter have struggled with various health issues, but they had each other and their longtime home near Boise's Veterans Memorial Park. The house, though, needed repair. Volunteers inspecting it in May for Paint the Town, the annual citywide painting of elderly and disabled people's homes, found significant deterioration inside and out, including exposed asbestos, mold on the walls and doors, and soft floors.

That inspection led managers of two local businesses to launch an effort to build Sams and her daughter a new, larger house on the same lot -- all with donated labor, materials and services.

The 900-square-foot house was built in the 1920s and added onto in the 1970s. Sams bought it in 1993.

Andy Schneider, a service manager for Intermountain Gas Co., met with Sams. He and James Stuart, regional construction manager for Hubble Homes, rallied community support and offered to tear the house down and build a new one for the Sams. The project is now called Miracle Makeover, with more than 65 businesses donating labor, materials or services so far.

"I had guys asking to help, contractors wanting to contribute labor and materials," Stuart said.

In May, without the hoopla that accompanies more famous home makeover projects, Stuart knocked on Sams' door, told her the home should come down, and showed her a rendering of a proposed 1,100-square-foot replacement with landscaping.

She cried and ran inside to get Erin.

"I was just blown away," Sams said. "It was so overwhelming. It was really a lot of bitter, sweet feelings."

On June 6, the family's belongings were packed up with help. And 10 days later, the old home was demolished and the new foundation was poured.

While contractors and subcontractors finish up the home in the next month, CHF Home Furnishings and others plan to decorate the Sams' new digs in ways that reflect the women's personalities and passions, such as Erin's love of World Wrestling Entertainment (NYSE:WWE) divas.

"She's not like any other kid," said Sams, 45. "I just admire her so much."

In the meantime, Sams and Erin are living with Sams' best friend, Ingrid Henson, who took in the mother and daughter along with their dogs Kelly and Topanga; cats Camas, Tang, Trixie and Merlin; rabbit Bugsy; and chickens Spiddy and Whitey.

In their spare time, they are deciding what they will keep of their old belongings in storage and what will be donated to charity.

The great reveal of the new home -- worth about $100,000 -is planned for the end of July, though a date isn't set yet.

Sams and Erin say they haven't seen the home and won't until it's completed.

But already the generosity of the community has made a difference in their lives, they said.

"The thing with the old house is I never felt that I could ever provide for Erin like I should have," Joy said.

Now, she said, "My parents don't have to worry about us anymore. It means so much. We can live again. We'll be in a healthy environment. It means there are great people in the world.

"It means people care. It means everything."

Sandra Forester: 377-6464

Newstex ID: KRTB-0234-26457112