Extreme Makeover: Home Edition surprises the McPhail family of Medford, Oregon!

Early in their marriage, C.J. and Lindsay McPhail decided they wanted to spend their lives helping others. They started the Southern Oregon Chapter of Sparrow Clubs, a non-profit organization, which helps children with medical issues by pairing them with a school which adopts them as their school’s “Sparrow.” C.J. found himself speaking to students, businesses, and anyone who would listen about the incredible power Sparrow Clubs gives to both students and Sparrows. His amazing ability as a public speaker motivated thousands of students to raise funds, perform service work, and create programs all in the name of their Sparrow. Not only were C.J. and Lindsay a part of raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for kids with medical needs, they were also able to help transform schools through challenging students to look beyond themselves and serve.

C.J. and Lindsay never imagined though they would one day need the help from the very same organization they devoted so much of their time to. Soon after moving to Portland and running a chapter there, their oldest son Sawyer was diagnosed with a form of Autism and their second oldest son Thatcher began to start showing signs of Autism as well. With their children regressing, the family moved back to Medford to live on a 50-acre family property next to Lindsay’s parents. The boys showed great progress, but Sawyer still faced several challenges due to his lack of social cues. Much to the family’s surprise, Sawyer became a Sparrow and through his endearing personality, he helped put a face on autism and brought awareness to over 900 students in his adopted school. While the property and the outdoors are great for the children’s progress, the house is not built for their needs.

The electrical system is from 1958 and recently an outlet actually sparked and shot small flames, Rewiring would be difficult since the home is made of cinder blocks. The windows are all original and are a safety hazard because they are huge and are not tempered glass, meaning if they break the glass won’t shatter. The plumbing is poor and leaks creating mold in the bathrooms. Lastly, there is no heat in the back of the house. Only the kitchen, living room, and front bedroom have ventilation so the family is forced to rely on space heaters in the winter, which is extremely costly and not eco-friendly. Moving away from the house is financially impossible and not desired since the property is crucial to the boy’s progress.