NARRATOR: The Raneys are down to their final hours
to complete a rescue that will save
the dreams of a desperate Homesteading family.
It's all hands on deck to finish securing
the cabin's foundation.
I like that.
NARRATOR: But with time running out,
they must work quickly so that Matt can finish
the final crucial project.
The water tank they had is outdated.
We got them a couple of new ones.
And there's only one way to get it across to the other side.
It's going across this bridge.
Whoa.
I don't know if I can get this thing up.
He's going down.
That was epic.
This deck is going to be 8 feet out which is
where this tape is right here.
Let's go get a beam.
We've got it to the point where we need a 26-foot long beam.
The three of us cannot carry that beam.
It's heavy.
And we need all hands on Homestead to come
together and carry that beam.
It won't go on the bridge.
It's too long.
So we have to go across the log bridge.
Fingers under it, 1, 2, 3.
OK.
Welcome to my life, folks.
Slippery bridge.
Log rolling.
Whoa.
All right, this is going to be really fun.
We had to go across country, cross a wooden homemade bridge
that Matt built, turn the corner,
go between two trees like a goalpost.
I don't know.
It's real mucky.
We're going to swing across.
Stay.
Whoa.
Go, Matt, go.
Grab my arm.
Pull me in.
Pull me.
Man down.
OK.
Somebody fell-- not to mention any names.
Holy crap.
Thank you very much.
So yeah, my dad fell.
Just follow me, please.
What's my favorite insect?
Centipede.
We got it there safely and everybody was cool.
Wagon's home.
OK, on your post.
Are we on?
A Little further.
Sliding down now half an inch.
Stop.
Done.
Thank you.
So the only thing left to do now is re-deck the whole thing.
Brand new treated lumber post.
All new joists.
These guys will be able to walk out of a safe cabin
onto a safe deck.
One cool, original, salmon stream facing deck.
Not bad for working at my scale.
Here we are.
Look at this place.
Yeah.
Out in this area, I noticed when I first came here on day
one, it just felt-- you could just feel it, walking, that
this was doing that, right?
Not even noticeable.
At this point, I think it's definitely more solid.
Yeah.
Definitely more level.
Ready?
Does it feel solid?
It does.
It definitely feels a lot more sturdy.
Before, right in this area especially, it was very spongy.
And now it's a lot--
definitely a lot more sturdy.
I feel comfortable jumping up and down on it right now.
Then now we can start doing more stuff on the inside
without having to worry about the floor sinking anymore.
I like it.
It makes me feel really good, frankly, to hear you
guys say that it's better.
Thank you.
NARRATOR: Seven days ago, Joshua and Kevin's cabin
was sagging due to unsafe footing,
and one earthquake away from collapsing.
Now for only $600 in materials, the cabin
is level, on solid footing, and will stand tall for many years
to come.
I'm super excited about the water catchment.
It's something I've been dreaming of pretty much
since we moved in here.
So it's going to help out tremendously
just being able to shower as much as I want
to have clean drinking water.
Making sure that this homestead has potable drinking
water, stuff they can cook with, shower
with is my number one concern.
And if we don't do this for Josh and Kevin,
it could be the one thing that makes them pull up stakes
and leave this property forever.
Better once cut five times.
This is Alaska.
If you have a water bottle and you
leave it in your car overnight during the winter,
it's frozen solid.
That same thing can happen to water
tanks left out in the elements.
And so putting two or three inches of foam insulation
as a base can really insulate the tank
and make sure that it doesn't freeze all winter long.
We were able to source some water tanks
from the local salvage yard.
And all we have to do is hook them up to the rain gutter
system, and this massive rain forest will provide water
forever on this homestead.
I'll start putting these fittings on.
Primer first both fittings, then glue,
then push it in and then do a quarter turn.
All right, what do you think?
- Awesome. - OK, so--
We made it happen.
Yeah, we made it happen right at the buzzer.
So what do you think about this guy?
I like that a lot.
So it's going to just boom, go right in there.
These straps are freaking bomber-proof.
They're never going anywhere.
I really think it's going to stand the test of winter time
because we put this foam in.
And this-- I mean, this is like an inch plywood on top.
Yeah.
This thing's really rigid.
And I think it's going to totally work for you guys.
Think so.
A lot of the projects that the Raneys helped us work on here
and complete are projects that just were way over my head.
I didn't know how to accomplish them.
I didn't know how to do it in a solid, productive way.
And they were some of the most important
things on this homestead.
You're set up.
And honestly, this is a sweet system.
Yeah.
I can tell that Josh is excited
so, you know, I'm happy we did it.
Yeah.
Sweet.
NARRATOR: One week ago, Joshua and Kevin
were drinking from a contaminated creek
and using an eroded water storage system.
Now they've got a rain catchment system feeding
into two brand new tanks that provide up to 4,000
gallons of clean water.
Really confident this is going to work.
And I'm super happy that you guys finally have water.
Yes, me too.
We first got here you didn't have water.
Your house was falling apart.
And there was no livestock.
Now you have food, shelter, water.
And for me, those are the three basic necessities.
And this homestead deserves it.
This is all I have-- like, my family, this land.
And there's days I just wanted to give up.
What you guys came to help us do really
set us up and like, rescued me and allowed me to dream again.
It gave me hope that this isn't going to crumble.
I just want to say thank you guys so much for coming out.
Not only that, I just had a blast with you guys.
It's just been such a great week.
So thanks, guys.
You're a family.
And it's pretty cool father and son working together.
Brothers, two partners, working together, you know.
I'm impressed.
And I think that we can take that away from this homestead,
frankly.
And look at your faces right now.
You're smiling, you know.
Yeah.
So that's what I'm going to remember
when I get in that truck and drive out of here.
That's it.
I showed up on this homestead late.
And I saw the amount of work that needed to get done
and told myself, it's never going to happen.
And it wouldn't have happened without the persistence
and the determination and the Homestead dream of Josh,
Kevin, Jake, and Casey.
Hey, do you know the way to Hatcher Pass?
[LAUGHTER]
That's funny.
Well, there they go.