'Makeover' family gets Dixie Chopper

When ABC-TV's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" airs one of its most heart-tugging stories ever this Sunday night, a Putnam County business will play a part in it.

The home makeover segment airing at 8 p.m. Sunday (WRTV, Channel 6, Indianapolis) features the emotional story of the Amy and Jerrod Hawkins family of Hendersonville, Tenn.

The Hawkins family lost its home to an April 7 tornado, and the heroic Amy Hawkins lost the use of her legs in protecting her two young sons as their house literally fell down around them. The community rallied around the family and more than 50,000 nominations were received by "Extreme Makeover" in an online petition drive.

In addition to their new home, the Hawkinses received a new, 25-horsepower Dixie Chopper Silver Eagle lawn mower, courtesy Dixie Chopper and its Gallatin, Tenn., dealership, Tennessee Hardware and Farm Supply.

Sunday's segment had been slated to show Dixie Chopper Territory Manager Pat Gillespie driving the mower up to the house for delivery.

But the afternoon that the delivery was to be taped, another violent storm rocked the area.

With no advance screening of Sunday's program available, it is not known whether viewers will see the mower or not.