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Contractors unveil Aimee Copeland home expansion

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Contractors are unveiling a major home expansion project for Aimee Copeland, the University of West Georgia graduate student who survived a flesh-eating bacteria.

Channel 2’s Tom Regan got a first-hand look at the 2,000-square-foot addition in Snellville, affectionately called “Aimee’s Wing.”

The renovated home features a bedroom, study, elevator, kitchen and exercise room, designed to offer easy wheelchair access for Copeland, who lost a leg, foot and both hands after contracting the rare bacteria from a zipline accident in May.

The home makeover took just over a month to complete for Copeland, workers told Regan.  Pulte homes, The Home Depot and more than 50 sponsors, contractors and several volunteers contributed to the effort.

"We build a nice spacious space, reinforced the floor and now she's going to be able to continue her rehabilitation in the comfort of her home," said Stephen Haines, vice president of the Pulte Group in Georgia.

Haines said his company consulted with Copeland to come up with the design, furnishings and interior decoration that is not only functional, but expresses the personality and ambitions of a woman determined to overcome an infection that took part of each limb, but not her spirit.

"Watching this vibrant excitable young girl fight for her life, and then needing a space. We're like, that's what we do, so we got involved and we can help," Haines said.

Copeland’s father said his daughter will see her new place in two weeks when she’s released from rehab.

“I’m blown away at everything they’ve done,” Andy Copeland said of the slew of volunteers.  “I think the person that’s really going to be blown away is Aimee.”

Andy Copeland said his family is immensely grateful for communities near and far that have shown their support to his daughter.