Riverside Furniture Lends a Helping Hand to the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Team

Furniture World Magazine

When Extreme Makeover: Home Edition called with a reques to help create a dream home for the Nick family, Riverside was happy to help. Riverside Furniture, a leading home furnishings manufacturer, is furnishing the entire home for the family with the latest trends in wood furniture. Coordinating upholstered seating is courtesy of Today’s Furniture, a Fort Smith furniture retailer owned by Brian and Jackie Floyd. “Riverside came to the rescue when a local family needed help. We are so proud to be working with them and so glad to be working in this community,” says Diane Korman, Coordinating Producer for Lock & Key Productions. On the tenth anniversary of their daughter Morgan’s disappearance, the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition crew delivered the news of their home’s transformation to the Nick family. The Nick’s lives changed on June 9, 1995 when Morgan Chauntel Nick, only 6-years old at the time, was kidnapped from a little league ballpark in Alma, Arkansas while she played just yards away from her mother. Witnesses observed a “creepy” man watching her as she played with other children at the park. Panic overwhelmed Colleen Nick as the ballpark began to empty, and there was still no sign of her daughter. Morgan’s abduction launched a massive investigation turning up thousands of leads, and the manhunt still continues today fueled by her mother’s determination and optimism. “When Morgan went missing on that summer night in 1995, I never dreamed that I would be here, 10 years later, still missing Morgan. Morgan should be home with her family, friends and those who love her. Now that she is gone part of my heart is somewhere out there, and no matter how hard I have fought, I have not been able to get it back. I am still missing Morgan. I have, and will continue to hold out a Mother’s hope for Morgan’s safe return home,” says Morgan’s mother, Colleen Nick. This family has put every effort into bringing Morgan home with little time left for one another. The design team is faced with the task of providing a space within the home where the family can spend more time together. During the next seven days, volunteers will work around the clock to construct a new home. Complete demolition of the existing 1500 square-foot home began on June 9th and concludes on June 17th when the family says, “move that bus, Ty” to unveil their new home. Ty Pennington, the Makeover crew and thousands of volunteers will reveal the Nick’s new stunning 3800 square-foot home on ABC on a date to be announced later! Because of many compassionate hearts, a new home is waiting for Morgan’s return to embrace her and her warm and loving family. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition received multiple nominations for the Nick family showing an amazing display of community spirit. “We are honored to be part of the Nick’s life,” says Howard Spradlin, CEO of Riverside Furniture. “This tragedy is close to the heart of any mother and father, but it is especially close to the families in the River Valley whose hopes and prayers for Morgan’s safe return continue today. Our dream is for Riverside’s furniture to enhance all the living going on around it.”