LENA - Family and about 6,000 new friends were silent as the Stott family exited their vehicle and removed their blindfolds.
It was part of the surprise. They had no idea where they were when their vehicle stopped in front of their home new.
When the signal was given, the crowd erupted in cheers and screams as Ty Pennington, host of ABC television's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" welcomed the family to their new home.
Pennington talked to Joey, Phillip and their three children Kaila, 18, Jonathon, 16, and Michael, 15, while the crowd tried to get a glimpse of the Stotts.
"Look, she's crying," someone in the crowd said when she saw Joey Stotts.
Then, those who had waited for several hours, some since 8 a.m., shouted out the words familiar to anyone who watches the television show.
"Bus driver, move that bus!"
The Stotts spent a week in California while their home was demolished and replaced with a new one, which included a new sheep barn and a pond in the front yard. The Stott family could thank ABC television and hundreds of volunteers from northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin and Iowa for their new home.
Even the Stotts extended family were touched by the outpouring of kindness from hundreds of people they don't even know.
"Everybody involved have been wonderful," Kay Guthrie, Joey Stott's mom, Poplar Grove, Ill., said. "There's no way we can thank (the volunteers) enough. All we can say is 'God bless you all.'"
Guthrie was able to see the inside of the new house before the Stotts returned home, but she wasn't ready to talk about it. She just had one thing to say.
"It's the most beautiful house I've ever seen," she smiled. "It really is Joey and Phillip."
Joey Stott's sister, Angie Eklund and sister-in-law Kim Swezey, both from Polar Grove, Ill., couldn't wait to hear what Joey Stott thought of the new house.
"They're going to be overwhelmed when they see it," Eklund said. "I want to see their faces."
"I hope she doesn't faint," Swezey laughed, "I think I would."
By coincidence, John and Geraldine Stott were visiting their son Phillip and his family when the family was selected for the television show. They spent the week at a hotel in Stockton while the house was built. They could hardly believe what they saw Wednesday.
"We're absolutely overwhelmed," John said.
Many of the Stott's friends and family came out to welcome them home, but most of the people at their new home, located on U.S. Highway 20 west of Lena, had never heard of the Stotts a week ago.
Still, they came out to be a part of the day.
"It's not often you get to do something like this," Danna Lyman, Freeport, Ill., said. "I just wanted to be a part of this."
Volunteers and contractors worked 106 consecutive hours to get the house and farm ready for the Stotts.
"You'd leave for a little while and when you came back something was completely different," Dave Sutherland, Dakota, Ill., said.
The Stotts learned Sept. 9 they were going to be featured on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."
In the spring, the family's home on a small farm called Spring View Acres, was destroyed in a fire. Since the fire, the Stotts have lived in Joey's father's 28-foot, one-bedroom trailer, which is parked behind the barn.
The Stotts were selected for "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" following nomination for the program by area family friends. Hasken Construction, an Illinois-based building firm and a team of volunteers were asked to help the Stott family.
It was part of the surprise. They had no idea where they were when their vehicle stopped in front of their home new.
When the signal was given, the crowd erupted in cheers and screams as Ty Pennington, host of ABC television's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" welcomed the family to their new home.
Pennington talked to Joey, Phillip and their three children Kaila, 18, Jonathon, 16, and Michael, 15, while the crowd tried to get a glimpse of the Stotts.
"Look, she's crying," someone in the crowd said when she saw Joey Stotts.
Then, those who had waited for several hours, some since 8 a.m., shouted out the words familiar to anyone who watches the television show.
"Bus driver, move that bus!"
The Stotts spent a week in California while their home was demolished and replaced with a new one, which included a new sheep barn and a pond in the front yard. The Stott family could thank ABC television and hundreds of volunteers from northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin and Iowa for their new home.
Even the Stotts extended family were touched by the outpouring of kindness from hundreds of people they don't even know.
"Everybody involved have been wonderful," Kay Guthrie, Joey Stott's mom, Poplar Grove, Ill., said. "There's no way we can thank (the volunteers) enough. All we can say is 'God bless you all.'"
Guthrie was able to see the inside of the new house before the Stotts returned home, but she wasn't ready to talk about it. She just had one thing to say.
"It's the most beautiful house I've ever seen," she smiled. "It really is Joey and Phillip."
Joey Stott's sister, Angie Eklund and sister-in-law Kim Swezey, both from Polar Grove, Ill., couldn't wait to hear what Joey Stott thought of the new house.
"They're going to be overwhelmed when they see it," Eklund said. "I want to see their faces."
"I hope she doesn't faint," Swezey laughed, "I think I would."
By coincidence, John and Geraldine Stott were visiting their son Phillip and his family when the family was selected for the television show. They spent the week at a hotel in Stockton while the house was built. They could hardly believe what they saw Wednesday.
"We're absolutely overwhelmed," John said.
Many of the Stott's friends and family came out to welcome them home, but most of the people at their new home, located on U.S. Highway 20 west of Lena, had never heard of the Stotts a week ago.
Still, they came out to be a part of the day.
"It's not often you get to do something like this," Danna Lyman, Freeport, Ill., said. "I just wanted to be a part of this."
Volunteers and contractors worked 106 consecutive hours to get the house and farm ready for the Stotts.
"You'd leave for a little while and when you came back something was completely different," Dave Sutherland, Dakota, Ill., said.
The Stotts learned Sept. 9 they were going to be featured on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."
In the spring, the family's home on a small farm called Spring View Acres, was destroyed in a fire. Since the fire, the Stotts have lived in Joey's father's 28-foot, one-bedroom trailer, which is parked behind the barn.
The Stotts were selected for "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" following nomination for the program by area family friends. Hasken Construction, an Illinois-based building firm and a team of volunteers were asked to help the Stott family.