Christian Cody enjoys watching ABC's hit show "Extreme Home Makeover."
After all, he has something in common with the show's Ty Pennington. Both live with the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, a condition that has resulted in severe bouts of depression for the 19-year-old Pennington fan.
"He really helped me turn my life around because I've always had problems with ADHD," Cody said.
He was concerned about Pennington's safety when he was arrested May 6 for drunk driving, and he appreciated the way the celebrity handled his apology.
So when he heard Pennington express concerns about losing his job over the incident, Cody decided to take action to keep his hero on television. Cody started a petition Friday to convince ABC to give Pennington a second chance. Cody acknowledges Pennington made a mistake, but he still sees Pennington as a role model for success for a man with ADHD.
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This morning, 127 people from across the nation and world had signed the online petition at GoPetition.com in support of saving Pennington's job. GoPetition.com is a nonpartisan petitioning site for people around the world.
"If he's got (a disorder) that's (also) caused a lot of problems for me ... maybe it doesn't have to hold you back after all," Cody said. "If he can do all these amazing things, why can't I? I've just been looking at life with a lot more honesty. My mom says it's helped me grow up more."
Cody hopes he can continue to follow the handyman designer's career on "Extreme Home Makeover."
"That's the one place where he gets to help all those people. He's worked hard to get where he is," Cody said. "He's more than just an actor; he's a humanitarian on all levels."
Cody plans to speak to as many people and pass out flyers to get the word out about the petition.
"People make a lot of mistakes -- it happens," he said. "I just don't think he should lose his job over it."
