'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition's' executive-producer Brady Connell recalls Ashraf Kambere of Barobi family
'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition' is a show that tugs at your heartstrings. It is designed to give back to the people who have loved, served, and cared for the society in their own unique ways. It is a joint effort of designers, producers, builders, and volunteers to give smiles to those families who have struggled for far too long and are more than worthy of a space they can call their home. And at the forefront of it all is Brady Connell, the executive producer of the HGTV show.
"This new journey has been sensible, rewarding, and right for the times. The best part is that the show’s heart remains the same... it’s still about a community, and a builder, stepping up to help a deserving neighbor. When each family walks through that door, they know their life has changed, and that it was done with love. As a television producer, I can’t imagine any better journey to be on," Brady shared with MEA Worldwide in a quick chat.
As we all know, 'Extreme Makeover' is all about delivering quick results. The team working on a house in each episode has only a week's time to turn things around. And it wouldn't have been easy to pull off had everyone not been on a regulated schedule, Brady informed and added that each team of skilled and unskilled labor was instructed and aware of the kind of services expected of them for the work/ phase to completed on time.
"When so much is going on, it’s always a challenge to capture the activities of all our volunteers on camera. Our crews can’t work 24 hours, so, unfortunately, we aren’t able to tell every story that deserves to be told, but we do our best," he pointed out.
It has been an emotional season so far. The stories of every family are unique and unforgettable. And from such families come true flagbearers of hope, positivity, and inspiration. One such individual is Ashraf Kambere of the Barobi family, who led his siblings out of war-torn Congo to a refugee camp in Uganda and then to America and his moving story caught Brady's attention.
"I continue to flash on the moment that Ashraf Kambere, from our second episode, collapsed to the ground when he and his family learned they were selected or the show," he said and added, "When the community of Ogden yelled “Good morning, Barobi family” and it sunk in that his family was now going to be taken care of, he physically could not remain standing. His body released the deep stress he had been holding all those years and he crumpled to the ground and began to cry with relief."
It was truly a defining moment for everyone on and off the show as it was accurately representative of the sentimental core of 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.'
Catch all the new episodes of 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition' on HGTV every Sunday.