Life after their 15 minutes of fame

Who: The family of Heidi and David "Tripp" Johnson of Medfield

Where things stood: A year ago, the TV show, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," rebuilt their house. The show seeks out families with heart-rending stories. Seven-year-old William Johnson has lived since infancy with a genetic disorder, spinal muscular atropha, which keeps him confined to a wheelchair.

The latest word: The TV crew is long gone, but local businesses continue to chip in. They have added handicapped-accessible features to the house and provided ongoing services such as lawn care. Meanwhile, Heidi Johnson drums up support for research on her son's disease by keeping the family's profile high. She has offered tours of the home for charity auctions, hosted fund-raising parties, invited over Elisabeth Hasselbeck of TV's "The View," and had Channel 5's Susan Wornick in to cook pasta sauce. "I truly believe we're on this planet for this purpose," Johnson said of her relentless advocacy. "If we could only find a billionaire who would give us $2.2 million, we might find a cure." Owning possibly the most-seen house in town comes with a price. "My lot in life is cleaning," Johnson said. "I feel pressure to clean this house because it's pretty."

ALISON O'LEARY MURRAY