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Piestewa family to appear on 'Extreme Makeover'


The family of Lori Piestewa, the Hopi woman killed in action in Iraq, will appear on the season finale of the ABC television show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

The Piestewas are the first Native American family to appear on the show. They were informed of their participation this morning.

"Lori was proud of her Hopi heritage and taught all those who knew her about the great riches of her culture. We knew that to ignore that culture in the show would be a great disservice to the Piestewa family and to Lori's memory," said show producer Andy Lipson

With the help of National Congress of American Indians, the program obtained financial support and sponsorship from the Hopi Tribe, the Navajo Nation and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians from California. This is the first time tribes have assisted with the show.

"Our tribe strongly believes in the importance of community and helping our tribal brothers and sisters, and Extreme Makeover is all about building a better home and life for families in need," said Deron Marquez, the chairman of the San Manuel Band.

The Piestewas live in Tuba City, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation. Their new home will be located in Flagstaff, off the reservation.

Construction of the new home began immediately as the family was sent on a vacation courtesy of the program. According to Shea Homes, a total of 1,300 people will be working around the clock in order to "reveal" the home on April 19.

The Piestewa finale will air on May 22. "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" airs every Sunday at 8pm EST.

Relevant Links:
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - http://abc.go.com/primetime/xtremehome

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