While design team leader Ty Pennington was preparing to film this episode in his hometown of Atlanta, he underwent surgery for a perforated appendix. Although he was still recuperating, the energetic and dedicated Pennington did not want to let the family down. The episode incorporated his predicament into the show and captured how Ty was able to do his part from his hospital bed and, later in the week, to participate in the reveal for the Harper Family from the Atlanta suburb of Lake City, Georgia -- a family that had worked hard and sacrificed for all the right reasons, but still could not achieve their dream of providing a real home for their children. The design team was able to turn the Harpers' living nightmare of a house into a dream home come true.