Family expresses deep gratitude to volunteers at show's viewing

About 200 volunteers watched the show, taped in October, at Youngstown State University.
By KATIE LIBECCO
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
BOARDMAN -- Jeff Novak, in his Harley- Davidson jacket and with 7-month-old Presley in his arms, thanked the volunteers who had gathered to watch the episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" that featured his Boardman family.
About 200 people gathered in the Chestnut Room of Youngstown State University's Kilcawley Center on Sunday night to watch the broadcast, according to Walt Ulbricht, executive director of YSU's marketing and communications.
He said the event was invitation-only, open to those who volunteered to work on the Novaks' new home.
"This applause should be to the volunteers; it shouldn't come to me," Novak said to the crowd. "I didn't do anything special. I did anything that any father, hopefully, would do. I just woke up and took care of my kids. That's nothing special."
Family there
Novak attended the event with his mother, Mary Lou Novak of Boardman, and daughters Zoey, 6, Harley, 2, and Presley, 7 months. Jackie Novak, the girls' mother and Novak's wife, died of a pulmonary embolism on Mother's Day.
"It's marvelous what everyone did," Mary Lou Novak said. "There's no way we can thank everyone that helped out."
Jeff Novak said he attended the pre-show gathering, where the crowd watched WYTV's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Local Story," so that he could be with the volunteers.
"The only thing I can say about this is 'deserving.' People keep debating if I deserve this, and I'll be the first one to say maybe I don't," Jeff Novak said to the crowd. "So, thanks, guys. Anytime. You name the place I'll be there. I'll buy you dinner. Anytime you want to stop over, you are welcome."
Grateful to volunteers and results
Mary Lou Novak said the community support had been overwhelming.
"We're not the heroes here. Everyone who helped out with this, they are the heroes," she said.
She said she went to the site of the new home every day and watched the house come together, but hadn't seen any of the footage before the show.
"The house is beautiful. The girls love it -- they love to show off their rooms," Mary Lou Novak said.
Tony Esposito, co-owner of Canfield's TC Quality Homes, was one of the volunteers featured on the show who attended Sunday's gathering. His company built the Novak's new home.
"I'm absolutely satisfied. It's a beautiful house," Esposito said.
Esposito was at the home on Arlene Avenue from door-knock to the reveal, and said he only got five hours of sleep. He called working with "Extreme Makeover" a positive experience.
"It was fantastic. I'd do it again without hesitation," he said.
Jeff Novak agreed, saying he would do it all over again if he could.
"It's great. That's about all I can say about it," Novak said of the experience. "It's been a lot bigger than I thought it would be, but it's still good."