The Almquist family mission has been to protect and care for the wild life community; only a few years into their marriage, Joel and his wife Chemaine decided to build Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary, a place where abused or neglected animals can come to live in a peaceful and loving environment. Currently, Forever Wild provides a home for a variety of animals including 9 tigers, 3 sulcata tortoises, 3 parrots, 10 alligators, 4 servals, 4 Mexican beaded lizards, 2 Siberian lynx and 1 Egyptian cobra just to name a few. The Almquists never wish to turn away animals in need, but their monthly care expenses have become overwhelming, and they’re unable to expand or improve their facilities. To maintain the sanctuary, Chemaine works tirelessly within their community, recruiting volunteers and donations, and Joel even holds down a second job.

While the Almquist family has been busy creating a safe home for so many animals, their own home has nearly fallen apart. They live in a doublewide trailer that is held together by duct tape, lacks any heat or air conditioning and has leaking pipes and large gaping holes throughout the floors.

For all the dedication and hope the Almquist family provides for the wild life community, It’s time for Ty and the designers to build this deserving family their own sanctuary and a better state-of-the-art animal facility.

While Ty and the designers, a coalition of regional builders Murphy Construction Company, SC Homes, Inc., Steeno Design Studio and David L. Manwarren Corporationalong with the help of the Building Industry Association (BIA), Baldy View Cahapter, and hundreds of volunteers and workers are building their home and wildlife sanctuary, the Almquist family will go on vacation to Coast Rico.
The design team for this episode of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” will feature team leader Ty Pennington and designers Paul DiMeo, Michael Moloney, Paige Hemmis and Ed Sanders.