After a trying nine months, Lethbridge couple Rick and Brenda Barva were presented with their new home on Thursday afternoon by Brenda’s son Brock Fulkerth and his company, Ashcroft Master Builder.
On May 27, 2019, Rick was in a serious collision and flown to Calgary to recover.
“He got released in August, but before that, our house also was on fire on June 29,” said Brenda. “So, eight months to the day, almost. It’s been quite a year.”
Fulkerth wanted to help, and take some of the burden out of his mother’s hands while she and Rick remained in Calgary.
He turned to his co-workers at Ashcroft.
“He called me into his office and we sat there and we talked — actually, we didn’t talk, he did, in a very excited manner — about what he wanted to do and how he wanted to do this,” said Dave Bodell, the general manager of Ashcroft.
In a process that started nearly eight months ago, the Barvas weren’t in on any of the redesign of the home or the furnishing.
“I just said, ‘Do you trust me? I’ll pick everything. I’ll do all the selections,'” said Fulkerth. “Melissa, our interior designer, has helped me the whole way through. There’s no way I could have done this without her.
“We just worked as a team, we took everything that they loved and wanted in their house, and we just brought that to life for them.”
Surrounded by more than 100 friends, family and community members, the Barvas arrived at the house blindfolded, and those in attendance said the reveal was more than they could have ever expected.
“To be able to see this, and see their reactions… I’m not Brock’s dad but I’m very, very proud of what he’s done for his family,” said Bodell. “There’s nothing more important than being able to do this for his parents.”
The Barvas said they were blown away by not only the house, but the gesture.
“It’s an old house, and he’s had his challenges,” said Brenda, “but he just really wanted to do this for us and we love him so much.”
“You can tell he’s got the ability, and it’s certainly something that I could never do myself,” said Rick.
As for the house?
“Not only is it redone… there’s love between these walls,” said a very proud mother.
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