For Scotts Valley High School 17-year-old Kendra Kannegaard, the new hardwood floor in her family’s Scotts Valley home has changed her world.
Wheelchair-bound since doctors removed a tumor from her spinal cord in February, getting around the house had been a terribly difficulty for her. She needed to be pushed across the carpeted floors, and reaching the second-story bathroom for a shower was an ordeal.
“We used to carry her upstairs,” said her father, Ken Kannegaard.
But while the family visited relatives in Idaho, the Kannegaard home was transformed by a local contractor and his crew.
When San Lorenzo Valley High School wrestling coach Ken Pollastrini heard about Kendra’s plight, he reached out to Jared Norman, his counterpart at Scotts Valley High School, to ask what the family needed. Ken Kannegaard is Norman’s co-wrestling coach at the school.
“I called Jared and asked him, ‘What’s going on? What do they need?’” Pollastrini said.
Originally, Pollastrini, the principal of KP Construction, was simply going to build a hardwood floor in the house. But it quickly turned into much more.
“When it hits so close to home, when it’s somebody you know, it’s like, ‘Oh my God,’” he said.
Donating his time, Pollastrini and a host of contractors tore up all the carpet and linoleum in the house and replaced them with hardwood floors and tile. They changed a half-bath into a tiled “wet room,” where everything can get wet and Kendra can shower without having to stand. They repainted the downstairs and added French doors to Kendra’s makeshift downstairs room — previously, an office without doors.
The contractor also poured concrete to form a path around the house from the front to the backyard.
“It’s such a blessing to have (Pollastrini),” said neighbor Melinda Malloy, who helped arrange the work and solicited the donation of a wraparound couch from SC41 Homespace in Santa Cruz. “If he gets a job out of this, that would be great.”
Mercedes Malloy, Kendra’s 11-year-old neighbor, wanted to help the older girl and helped hatch the remodel idea.
“She’s just been a great influence for me,” Mercedes said. “She’s a great role model.”
Members of the Scotts Valley wrestling team painted and helped clear the “jungle” in the Kannegaards’ backyard.
“This is a wrestling family affair,” Norman said.
Friend Alicia Pitts, a junior wrestler, at the high school helped out.
“Kendra’s the type of person whose personality sparkles in the room,” Pitts said. “It’s really great to be doing this for them.”
The Kannegaards returned from Idaho last weekend to virtually a new house.
“I’m really just speechless,” Kendra said as she entered the house. “I knew we were getting a new floor, I just didn’t think it would be anything like this.”
Her room had been repainted teal to match a new bedspread, and she was thrilled to have doors on her converted room, rather than a curtain.
“I’m not going to be so bummed about staying home,” Kendra said.
She has been rehabbing her legs and was able to walk, with help, in a swimming pool last week. Her goal is to be able to walk across the stage at graduation next June.
Many contractors donated work, including Pollastrini’s crew, Victor’s Carpet Care, Mike Gallardi Plumbing, electrician Gary Hrabko, Dan Moran Drywall and several neighboring families.
Rob Slawinksi and the Scotts Valley Rotary Club have led the push to help the family.
Jacque Kannegaard, Kendra’s mother, marveled at the support her family has received.
“The community has touched us so much,” Jackie said. “It makes it so very proud for me to be a part of it. I just want to say thank you to all of them. They have given Kendra her life back as much as it can be.”
Kendra was all smiles after entering her remodeled room.
“I’m just so overwhelmed with love from the community.”
