Former Student Offers ‘Extreme’ Help To Mentor, TV Show

The bond between a former metal shop teacher and his student is helping a family hundreds of miles away.

Earlier this week, the crew of The Iron Shop in Colorado Springs constructed a $12,000 iron stair case in just three days. It’s going to help a North Carolina family appearing on the TV show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”

Retired Widefield High School teacher Duane Swanson called on his former pupil, Gerry McCabe, when the job wasn’t getting done in North Carolina.

“That show is an inspiration to pretty much anybody,” said McCabe. “A lot of people they do this for would never have the chance to be as happy as they’re going to be.”

McCabe has owned his own metal fabrication shop in Colorado Springs for the past seven years. He said he got caught the bug while attending Widefield High School and learning the trade from Swanson.

“Not just my shop teacher but a very strong mentor in my life,” said McCabe. “He’s helped me through some hard times back in high school, and other times his advice has taken me a long way in the trade, in my business and in my life.”

Swanson turned to McCabe last weekend when his son needed help. Swanson’s son is a project manager on the popular TV show. Originally the show had McCabe’s company draw up designs for the massive staircase. When the project ran into trouble in North Carolina, they leaned on The Iron Shop crew to finish the job.

“It gives you the greatest feeling in your heart that you can imagine,” said Swanson of the home makeover process. “You know everybody’s crying, including me. I’ve done it several times, but it’s just a fantastic experience.”

“We’ve put in the time and the effort to get it done in the timeframe we’ve had to get it done for this family,” said McCabe.

The staircase is on the road this weekend so it can be ready for construction on Monday. The work will be featured in Episode 15 of this year’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” likely airing this spring.