CRESTVIEW — The Parkes — Kevin, Tiffany and their five children — have settled into a home they hardly recognize from last week.
While the family stayed on Eglin Air Force Base, crews from Lifetime TV's “Designing Spaces” moved into their Lake Silver neighborhood house for a “Military Makeover."
Film and TV veteran R. Lee Ermey — known as “Gunny,” for his U.S. Marine Corps gunnery sergeant rank — joined Art Edmonds, the show's field correspondent, for the weeklong endeavor.
Improvements included a new kitchen with granite counters and custom artwork on the children’s bedroom walls, along with new furniture, including a Barcelona chair in the living room.
In addition to constructing a new koi pond and patio outside, the crew, using many local vendors, installed new floors, appliances, cabinets and furniture.
“It’s a no-holds-barred deal,” Ermey said. “We wanted Kevin and his family to have smiles on their faces. We want them to know America cares about them.”
Ermey said local contractors and “Designing Spaces” crew members weren’t the only ones working hard on the Parke home. “You’d be surprised how many neighbors came over with their hammers and saws,” he said. “They love Kevin and his family.”
“Gunny’s a lot of fun,” said Crestview contractor Mike Banks with CJM Enterprises, which installed the new kitchen cabinets.
Pete Elkins, the Crestview Consolidated Ace Hardware store's manager, said his business was proud to contribute to the effort. “We donated paint and labor,” Elkins said. “We like to support our neighbors and our vets.”
Knowing Kevin’s love of classic cars, “Designing Spaces” presented the veteran with a restored, right-hand-drive 1989 Nissan Skyline R32, a car not previously imported to the United States.
The surprises were just one way to say thank you to a disabled veteran.
Kevin Parke, who served two tours of duty in Afghanistan, applied for the makeover with his Purple Heart chapter's encouragement.
“I thought this is pretty cool and I decided to put in for it,” he said. “I didn’t think I’d get it but I tried, and they gave me a call and said, 'Hey we want to come take a look at your house.' That was pretty cool.”
Parke has stability issues due to back injuries, and he has brain damage with "super bad headaches," he said. "I was struck three different times in one tour. The third time I was in the turret and I got knocked out from my machine gun smashing into my face."
The refurbished home will help make life easier and more comfortable for the family, he said.
“Pretty much my wife does everything,” he said. “We have five kids, and she takes care of them and she takes care of me.”
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Lifetime TV show refurbishes Crestview veteran's home (VIDEO)
