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Donors' gifts wrap up 'Makeover' family's 'amazing week'

Kyndell Harkness, Star Tribune

Vicki Swenson, her husband Erik Swenson, in red, reacted to seeing their new home as a part of the "Extreme Makeover" reality television show.

By Kevin Ducschere, Star Tribune

Last update: August 29, 2007 - 8:56 PM

Vicki and Erik Swenson said Wednesday that they were thrilled with their new house in Minnetonka -- built for them courtesy of ABC-TV's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" -- and overwhelmed by their reception since returning from vacation and seeing the house for the first time Tuesday.

"It's been an amazing week," said Erik Swenson, 36, who with Vicki, 37, and some of their children participated in a news conference on their new driveway Wednesday to accept gifts from several corporate and nonprofit donors.

The Swensons have three children of their own and are expecting another in November. They nearly doubled the size of their family when they took in the children of Vicki's widowed sister, Teri Lee; in September 2006, Lee and her boyfriend, Tim Hawkinson, were murdered by her ex-boyfriend.

The Swensons, both teachers, were nominated for the home makeover by their students at Hopkins High School. Their episode, the show's 100th, is scheduled to air in a special two-hour broadcast Nov. 25.

UnitedHealth Group and Blaine-based Eniva Corp. made gifts in the family's name of $25,000 and $10,000, respectively, to support battered women. And the family received a wide assortment of gifts, including bicycles, yard equipment, canoes, a Dodge minivan and 10 years of pizza. Erik Swenson wore a big smile when he was presented with a new Harley-Davidson Road King.

Both Swensons confessed that the circumstances made the events of the past week somewhat surreal.

"It is hard to know that the cause of all this amazing stuff is something absolutely horrific," Erik said. Vicki said she was glad that the new house gave the family some elbow room and had helped spread the message of preventing domestic violence.

KEVIN DUCHSCHERE