EMOTIONAL STORY OF A FAMILY COPING WITH ALS (LOU GEHRIG’S DISEASE) IN
POST-PRODUCTION STAGE
Source: Staff Writer, Jacksonville, FL
Building a Difference enters the post-production stage on one of its most emotionally intense projects yet. This 2-hour documentary tells the story of the Goodall family. Kenny and Karen Goodall had the burden of telling their 5 young children that their father was diagnosed with a serious disease known as ALS…and that it would soon take his life. Shortly after, Karen gave birth to their sixth child while at the same time trying to care for Kenny as the disease was increasingly degenerating his body. Eventually his ALS condition progressed so much that communication with his family had become almost impossible. To make matters worse, Karen was trying to care fulltime for her dying husband and 6 hurting children in a very small, rundown 3-bedroom home as their plans to build their dream home were suddenly cut short by this terrible disease.
When ICI Homes Division President Don Wilford heard about this family’s situation, his heart broke. “I knew I had to do something to help,” explains Wilford. “ALS is a very traumatic disease for everyone involved. What seemed to be most important to me was Kenny being able to spend his last days in peace with his family, without the constant worrying of how his wife and children were going to be taking care of after he was gone. So I wanted to help give him the peace and quality of comfort he needed by providing a safe home for his family.”
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Chris Simons (left), Bill Wilson (top center) and Don Wilford (right) with the Kenny Goodall (center) and his family. |
Karen, Kenny and Chris listen as Don shares his construction plans for their new home. |
Members of the Northeast Florida Builders Association stepped up to make this project a success. . |
Wilford immediately contacted Builders Care, the non-profit construction arm of the Northeast Florida Builders Association. “We were more than happy to work with Don and ICI homes to help this family through a very difficult time” says Chris Simons, Senior Project Manager for Builders Care. “And when we shared the Goodall’s story with our Builders Association so many good hearts stepped up to offer their support so that this project could be a success. Builders, tradesmen, church members, and friends worked with us around the clock to expand the size of their home.”
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Kenny grins ear to ear the morning that construction began on his house! |
Volunteers help tear everything up during demolition day. |
The Goodall’s home gets bigger! . |
And after five straight weeks of intense video production resulting in 160 hours of raw footage, this will be the most ambitious documentary that Building a Difference has yet to put together. “I am amazed at the Goodall family’s powerful faith that carried them through the extreme heartache of Kenny’s disease,” said Mick Richards, Building a Difference Producer/Director. “With this story we will take you deep into the struggles of the ALS disease, show the amazing construction that was accomplished in such a short amount of time, and how the Goodall family allowed God to show them the hidden treasure that lies beneath suffering.”
“The Goodall Family” documentary is now in post-production and scheduled to be released early this summer.
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Kenny got to watch almost everyday as ICI Homes and Builders Care worked around the clock. |
Uncle Dave choreographs huge volunteer efforts with ICI Homes Project Manager Tim Anderson. |
Julie Castine starts construction on one of the many surprises in store for the Goodall kids. |
