United Rentals Helps St. Louis Family for “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”

United Rentals, has joined forces with ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and hundreds of volunteers to build a new home for a Shrewsbury family.

Following today's surprise visit by the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" team, the United Rentals branch in St. Louis began delivering more than 75 pieces of equipment to the site of what will be a new house for Emmanuel and Dawn Martirez and their three children. The popular television show has relied on United Rentals for aerial lifts, light towers and power generators on projects around the country through a partnership that initiated last year.

Nick Reitz, branch manager for United Rentals in St. Louis, said, "This is a total community effort on behalf of the Martirez family, and we're prepared to support the crew around the clock, even if it means delivering equipment at midnight. The United Rentals branches in our area want to help out any way we can. We plan to be on hand every day at the jobsite to help make this house happen!"

Diane Korman, senior producer for "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition", said, "We know we can rely on United Rentals to help us get the job done under the most challenging conditions. Their equipment and expertise is available to us around the clock, and no matter where we travel, they have a branch nearby ready to serve us. United Rentals is an Extreme partner in every respect!"

The episode featuring the Martirez family will air on ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" during the 2008 season on a date to be announced.

Dawn Martirez is a pediatric oncology nurse who has comforted hundreds of parents and their terminally ill children. It was an exciting time for the Martirez family when Dawn, husband Emmanuel and daughter Elle relocated from St. Louis to Orlando so that Emmanuel could pursue his career. Their dreams were suddenly put on hold when Dawn gave birth to twin boys, both of whom have severe medical and developmental problems. Now back in St. Louis, the Martirez family has struggled to cope in a tiny and unsafe house. With the help of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition", Emmanuel and Dawn will be able to give their children the comfort of a new home custom-built for their special needs.

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