‘OUR BIG FAMILY PLANS’
THE COUPLE OPEN UP ABOUT LIFE AFTER THE SHOW
Now that The Block has come to an end, Deb and Andy are turning their attention to their beautiful blended family. The couple have been together for 28 years and are parents to Tyler, 9, and Luca, 14, as well as foster children Leilanie, 21, and Gregg, 20.
Deb and Andy took in Leilanie and Gregg when their children were only young, and they quickly became part of the family.
“They’re just brothers and sisters; they don’t look at it any differently,” Deb says.
“They just look at each other as siblings, and they do all the normal things that siblings do. They love each other very much; they stand up for each other, they fight and do all the normal stuff that all families do.”
Andy and Deb admit that saying goodbye to their kids to go on The Block was one of the hardest things they’ve had to do.
“We missed our kids and home,” Deb reveals. “That’s just how we are as parents, they’re always around.”
While they did keep in contact with them while on the show, now that it has finished, they are sure to be soaking up every minute they can with the kids.
Family certainly means everything to the couple and with their eldest, Leilanie, now living away from home, Deb and Andy could be considering adding to their brood.
“These kids are great,” says Andy of his family. “We would take 100 [foster kids] on if we could.”
Indeed, Andy has a background in child protection and government housing, and the couple love ‘giving back’ and helping kids who need it. Plus, for Andy, looking after kids is second nature, having grown up as the eldest of five siblings.
“He helped look after his younger siblings,” reveals Deb. “He did their hair for school and cooked for them and lots of things.”
“I was doing meals at 8,” adds Andy.
“Now he looks after us and does all the cooking for us,” Deb laughs.
‘‘THEY’RE JUST BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THEY DON’T LOOK AT IT ANY DIFFERENTLY’’