Quadriplegic man and family gets backyard makeover, courtesy of Home Depot

Home Depot is trying to make life a little better for a New Port Richey man who suffered a brain stem stroke in 2007.

The rare type of stroke made John Berg, who has a wife and two young boys, a quadriplegic.

Before the injury, Berg was big on the outdoors. Now, he can only watch his two sons from his wheelchair.

"He went from being a 33-year-old active, outdoorsy man to being wheelchair-bound and essentially housebound," said his wife Mindy.

Home Depot manager Frank Essex heard about Berg and the fact he almost died during a power outage.

"The power went out in the neighborhood about three weeks ago and the feeling of the power going out with Berg on a lot of life support items," Essex said.

Essex decided the family needed a generator but it didn't stop there.

Home Depot and the Abilities Foundation got a $6,500 grant to makeover Berg's backyard.

"His goal in life was to be outside with his children and he's a very proud man," Essex said.

"Give them the ability to just come outside and play in their backyards like any normal kid with their dad is just an amazing gift," Mindy said.

Brain stem strokes are so rare only about 200 are reported around the world each year. They are usually fatal.

Thirty volunteers are helping with the landscaping and ramp building. They plan to have it finished by Friday.