Cathleen Lavoie was paralyzed in 2008 after her boyfriend shot her in the neck. (TONY CALDWELL/QMI Agency)

OTTAWA -- The woman paralyzed after her boyfriend shot her in the neck has more friends than she thought.

Cathleen Lavoie has no family in Canada except her three children. At 43, she lives in a nursing home, unable to care for them. She wants a home for Christmas, somewhere she can live with her kids. The kind of wish normally granted by U.S. TV show Extreme Makeover. Plans are now afoot to see if that’s possible.

Last week local architect Robert Taylor stepped-up, offering his services to design a new home or renovate an existing one, free of charge. He also began taking names of those interested in helping him out. A week later he says he’s encouraged by the response.

“The generosity from the community has been outstanding,” said Taylor in an e-mail, adding 10 companies or individuals have offered either time, materials or services towards getting Lavoie somewhere she can live on her own.

These range from general contractors, offers of building materials and fundraisers to everyday folks offering general labour.

Taylor said each person he talked to has pledged to try and get more people involved, so the number could grow. One individual has pledged to contact producers at Extreme Makeover and see if they’d be interested in a Canadian episode.

In addition, a trust fund for Lavoie is being set-up at the Royal Bank of Canada. It’s not expected to be ready until after the holidays.

Taylor has a wish-list, starting with cash donations.

“Either a vacant lot, existing bungalow, or accessible apartment would help her, even if it had to be purchased or subsidized from the donations received,” he said

Having regained some movement in her hands, Lavoie said she would be able to live on her own, with regular in-house visits from nurses.

Monday she and Taylor met for the first time in-person and had a visit from a women’s group dedicated to victims of violence. The group brought her Christmas gifts including clothing and a flat-screen TV. On Wednesday they will take her to a salon for a makeover.

“I just can’t believe it,” said Lavoie of the response.

She said she doesn’t feel alone in Canada anymore.

“Its a wish I didn’t think would ever come true,” she said.

Lavoie lives at Laurier Manor. Prior to being shot in July 2008, the single mother of three rented a subsidized bungalow for $140 a month. Her former boyfriend, Alvin Persaud, is serving 10 years in prison for shooting her.

doug.hempstead@sunmedia.ca