'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition': Pedro Jauregui says the facelift 'brings meaning to the word gratitude'
Pedro and Phillis Jauregui are two people who deserve the best and more. They have been helping people with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and special needs for years and it was finally their time on HGTV's 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.' The design team — Darren Keefe, Breegan Jane and Carrie Locklyn — were ready to give them their craftsman-style house back, albeit with a modern twist and devoid of any bug infestation or water damage.
Post-makeover, the family had access to three bedrooms and two bathrooms, with a beautiful, clean open layout. It was more spacious than ever and their house reached all the way down to the backyard, which added to the charm of it all.
"When we first walked into the home we were just so surprised, it now makes us aware of all the blessings that have followed. We appreciate that there are people that still care and allow me to take the time to see details in everyday life. This brings life and meaning to the word Gratitude," Pedro shared with MEA WorldWide (MEAWW) in a recently-concluded email interview.
For years, Pedro has been assisting veterans with PTSD to recover from it by opening up his home to them and now with the new space, the tradition will continue. He promises to cook for his "brothers in arms." But, that's not all that he has been doing all this time. The new house has allowed him his own space and gives him the opportunity to wind down after a long day.
"When the weather is clear. I like to sit in the back yard on the patio furniture and just listen to music and focus on my service and the men and women I have served with. I look back and remember all the good times and the love we have for each other," he said and added that his other favorite thing to do is spending time with the family in their dining room, where he gets to know a lot about what his children have been up to.
Pedro always wanted a different space for his little ones so that they are not into each other's zone all the time. And the design team gave him exactly that. And having different rooms has stopped arguments between Cheyanne and Andrew, who are almost of the same age. And the little nook for baby Evangeline was special too. In a nutshell, Pedro and his family thought the facelift was above and beyond their expectations. They knew it would look beautiful after the volunteers and designers had worked on it, but the finished product was much better than what they had in mind.
That said, he does miss the old house or at least a bit of it. The family had a piano that the kids would always try to play. He missed it, but didn't complain because it was the "best trade-off that a man could ask for."
The Jauregui family is now settled well in their 1,200 sqft craftsman-style house and have had their first Thanksgiving as well. "It was the first time we were able to do this in our house and it was filled with love and laughter," he shared.
Pedro, Phillis, Cheyanne, Andrew and Evangeline spend most of their time in their beautiful backyard, play and have fun as one unit. How often does that happen?
Catch all the new episodes of 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition' on HGTV every Sunday.