Cape Coral family receives new home for the holidays

CAPE CORAL, Fla.- “It’s just, it’s so overwhelming. This is more than I could ever ever imagine,” said Charyse Smith.

Smith and her family walked into their new home Friday after Builders Care, Lennar Homes, and the community stepped in to create a new, handicap accessible for her daughter Kayla.

Kayla suffers from cerebral palsy, and was running out of room in their former rental home.

“She feeds off of our emotions. I normally would bump into a wall with her wheelchair, or her feet while I was carrying her. I would get a little upset, but she’s going to be so carefree and happy because we are going to be carefree and happy. There’s not going to be any limitations.”

Volunteers helped finish the house before Christmas, complete with a bigger bathroom for Kayla, doors wide enough for her wheelchair, and handicap ramps inside.

Builders Care broke ground on Dec.3 and finished in just 15 days.

“We just don’t let any grass grow underneath our feet. There’s always something happening; people working on top of one another,” said Fred Barry.

“There’s nothing but good, wonderful, positive things that will come from this home,” said Smith.

The Smiths 3rd annual Run for Kayla will take place May 2016. There’s a 5k run, walk and a one mile fun run. For more information, head to Run4Kayla.com.