Widow stunned by act of kindness

BY SANDRA SIAGIAN 0

A TEAM of celebrity and reality television renovators recently joined forces to stage a special home makeover for the family of a paramedic who died during a rescue on Christmas Eve. Michael Wilson, of Gymea Bay, died while attempting to rescue an injured canyoner at Carrington Falls. Channel Nine enlisted the help of this year’s contestants from The Block, host Scott Cam and celebrity landscaper Jamie Durie, to surprise Mr Wilson’s widow, Kellie, 42, and children, Eliza, 15, Grace, 12, and Hugo, 6, with a complete house and garden makeover. “I was absolutely stunned,” Mrs Wilson said. “It was the last thing I expected and I had no idea at all. Michael and I had planned to make changes to the house but had never got around to it.” Mrs Wilson, a clinical nurse consultant at Sydney Children’s Hospital, and her three children were sent to Noosa for four days while the renovators set to work. The team gave the Wilson’s four-bedroom house at Gymea Bay a complete makeover from top to bottom, styling each room to suit their personal tastes. Chef Julie Goodwin, singer Darren Percival and cricket legend Michael Slater, who played cricket with Mr Wilson in his younger days, also made special appearances, while Mrs Wilson said she loved the whole renovation. “I’m just so grateful for the overwhelming support we have received since the tragic loss of Michael,” Mrs Wilson said. “There have been so many acts of kindness and this particular one was such an incredible surprise.” Channel Nine will screen the makeover in a special episode Domestic Blitz: The Block to the Rescue at 6.30pm, tonight, Sunday, July 8.

St George and Sutherland Shire Leader.