Roxbury Family To Appear On NBC's 'George To The Rescue'

ROXBURY, NJ— A Roxbury family whose son Levi has spina bifida received a handicapped bathroom, courtesy of the NBC show "George To The Rescue."

"Levi really didn't get what was happening at first, but his excitement has grown as he is understanding it and it is sinking in," Jillian Spencer told Patch. "We saw him on TV, and Levi was like 'Hey, that's George. He was at our house!'"

Four-year-old Levi was born with spina bifida myelomeningocele, a spine deformity, and is paralyzed from the waist down. He uses a walker, braces and wheelchair to help get around, which can be a challenge in the family's ranch home.

The family, which includes mom Jillian, dad Jason and Levi's two siblings, Shane, 5, and Ruby, 10 months, have been undertaking renovations to make their home more accessible for Levi, but the home still needs more work. The Spencers want to add a second floor to the home and were planning on starting with a downstairs bathroom for Levi.

Much to their surprise, George Oliphant came to the rescue. His team of contractors donate their time and materials to provide renovations to deserving families. The NBC program frequently features families with children who have special needs. (The Spencer family's episode will air some time in April.)

"We figured my husband would have to do most of the work in his 'spare time' after work and on weekends," Spencer said. "Now that time can be spent where it matters — with the family!"

Spencer said the family was surprised by Oliphant's gift.

"We we very overwhelmed as they kept it a secret from us, and George surprised us as we were interviewing with the crew out at our home," Spencer told Patch. "It was an experience we will never forget, and we are still on cloud 9 just thinking about it!"

In addition to the bathroom, the "George To The Rescue" donation gave the family the ability to move forward with their renovation ahead of schedule. Spencer told Patch the next step is adding a second level to the home and making the kitchen accessible, among other things.

"Levi is a fun-loving boy with a joyful spirit. He puts a smile on everyone's face and has been a blessing in all of our lives," Spencer told Patch. "We want the best for him, like any other parent. Allowing him more freedom and independence brings him one step closer to being like his peers. "

All images via Jillian Spencer

You can follow Levi's journey on the family's Facebook page "Pray For Levi," and can make a donation towards the renovation on a Fundrazr page. For more information on spina bifida, you can visit the March of Dimes' website.