Extreme Makeover: Home Edition   -  About the Episode

Winston Peter, a Hindu priest, and his wife Hardai left their homeland of Guyana in 1996 and struggled long and hard to make a new home for their family in America. They were on their way to achieving the American dream in Jamaica, NY when tragedy struck. In December of 2004, their tri-level colonial house burst into flames, depriving them not only of their home but all their possessions. Penniless and without other recourse, the Peters were forced to move back into their burned out house. They've since been living in a home without heat or hot water, and with very little electricity. They have to boil water whenever they need to bathe and have to cook on a makeshift propane stove. To make the house seem livable, Winston and his boys use whatever money they get to cover broken windows with plastic and wood, and hang sheet rock and drywall to cover up any holes from the fire damage. Winston feels as though he's let his family down, as he cannot provide them with a proper home. But as a priest he doesn't make enough money to repair or replace his house.