Fort McMurray family credits home makeover with saving their daughter

A Fort McMurray family credits a generous home makeover with improving the health of their four-year-old daughter, who has aserious heart condition.

Lily Morgan was born premature with congenital heart failure. Lily has holes in her heart and a blocked aorta.

She and her two sisters lived in a trailer that her parents suspected was making her sick.

Last year Fort McMurray volunteers tore apart the 1984 mobile home a drafty, damp trailer, laced with mould.

After the family returned from vacation, over 100 contractors and volunteers gave them a brand new house.

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"They literally saved our daughter's life," April Morgan said standing in her new kitchen.

It's been a year since the family returned to the home that was unveiled with the help of a cheering crowd and television cameras.

The family's new home was outfitted with designer furniture, stainless steel appliances, heated floors and an air purification system to help Lily, who has a weakened immune system.

Their home is now well-lived in and has many personal toucheslike family pictures, a pet lizard and Lily's and her sisters favourite toys.

• Fort McMurray shows where its heart is with home makeover for family of sick girl

But the biggest change, her dad, Matt noticed was the number of colds Lily catches. Emergency room visits, once routine, are now a thing of the past, he said.

"Those stresses are gone," Matt Morgan said. "Everything's good. Everything's new. Everything's clean."

The idea to renovate the Morgan's home was inspired by the American reality TV show Extreme Makeover Home Edition, which aired from 2003 until 2013.

Billy Martin and his local contractors spent sleepless nights remodelling the home.

Watch the surprise unveil of the Morgan's new home in 2018.

'It's breathtaking'

7 years ago

Duration 1:35

Fort McMurray comes together to renovate the home of a sick girl. Project lead Billy Martin and organizer Stephanie Klaamas describe the project as the Morgan family sees the redone home for the first time.

"It's life changing. There's nothing better knowing you are changing people's lives for the better," Martin told theCBC Friday.

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Now that the Morgan's home is done, Martin and his contractors are at it again.

They're busy fundraising and renovating a Fort McMurray Irish pub, Paddy McSwiggins, that has had problems opening after the wildfire.

Connect with David Thurton, CBC'sFort McMurraycorrespondent, onFacebook,Twitter,LinkedInor email him atdavid.thurton@cbc.ca