"The best way for us to actually be a family is to be here at home," said Versailles resident Sarah Kottwitz, and if the Kottwitzes are lucky, they'll soon have a home that really fits the needs of this very special family.
Sarah Kottwitz and her husband, John, have three children, Tristan, 7, Kylie, 6, and Ethan, 4. All three were born with cerebral palsy (CP), a disorder that affects muscle tone, movement and motor skills.
"They all have leg braces, but only Tristan can walk. Kylie and Ethan have two wheelchairs apiece and "home' presents a special set of challenges for the Kottwitz family," wrote Lyndsey Williams in an online petition to the ABC television show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."
Now, the Kottwitz family resides in a 1940s 21â„2 bedroom home that only has 900 square feet of living space, and Williams believes that John and Sarah deserve to have "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" build them a house that meets their special needs. With online signatures, this family could move one step closer to living in a safe environment that meets all these needs of these special children.
The Kottwitzes application and video was sent in last week, ahead of the March 31 deadline. However, Williams and Kottwitz want to be sure and get the attention of the show's producers by collecting as many online signatures as possible to show the Lake of the Ozarks and Mid-Missouri community supports the family. That's where residents can help. They simply log on to www.petitionspot.com/petitions/kottwitz before the March 31 deadline and "sign" the petition.
Read an expanded version of this article in our newspaper and e-Edition for Wednesday, March 23, 2011. Newspaper subscribers: Log on to the e-Edition with your current account information at no extra charge. For help, e-mail [email protected]