Photos From The Site | Discuss The Project

By B.C. MANION
The Tampa Tribune

“Move that bus! Move that bus! Move that bus!” the crowd chanted as Tom and Cynthia Tate and their children waited to see their new “Extreme Makeover” house.

Like a curtain slowly lifted on an exquisite Broadway set, the big bus finally pulled away. Behind it stood a 3,400-square-foot Spanish Eclectic home of white stucco, with a wraparound porch and tropical landscaping.

Every one of the five Tates cried. Just like on the show.

“At one point, Mrs. Tate was down on her knees and Ty [Pennington] helped her up,” said front-row fan Andi Adams, referring to the hunky show designer.

Adams cried, too.

Cynthia Tate, who was alone at home in June when an airplane crashed into the family’s original 1,773-square-foot home, hugged Tom. He picked her up and gave her a twirl. Then both hugged Ty, said Tom Soper, another fan of the ABC show who snared a prime view.

About 2,000 people went to Davis Islands on Sunday to be part of “The Reveal,” the climax of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” when the “desperate and deserving” family gets to see the house custom-built and decorated for them in a week.

Things began about 11 a.m., with a stretch Hummer and the bus practicing their movements. The fans perked up with every celebrity sighting and got a big reward when Pennington ran out and doled out high-fives. Beads, T-shirts and teddy bears tossed into raised hands kept everyone pumped during the wait. They were more than ready to comply when urged to shout, “Move that bus!” at 1:36 p.m.

Jennifer Rodriguez of Gibsonton enjoyed it all. But she wanted more.

“I wish we could be on the other side of that door.”

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