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Coronacoaster: Houston family makes memories by building backyard roller coaster

7-year-old Avery Spankuch loves roller coasters, so with mom's creativity and dad's ingenuity, the family built their own coaster and one epic memory.

HOUSTON — KHOU is teaming with Nextdoor to spotlight good news. Denise Spankuch saw our call out for positive stories and sent us a home video of her family's "roller coaster."

The Spankuch family spent an entire Sunday creating Spanky’s Rattler out of cardboard, pool noodles and, "some rope and some duct tape," said dad Andrew. "The two things that you need in any sort of project."

Spankuch is an engineer, his wife is a graphic designer and 7-year old Avery loves roller coasters. 

The family hasn't been to an amusement park since February but Avery hoped to ride more coasters this summer. The pandemic put the brakes on that idea.

"But it’s kinda brought us closer together as a family," said Spankuch of the added time the family is spending at home. They're playing more board games are using scooters to race down their driveway and with the help of glow sticks, the family is having dance parties in the dark. 

But Spanky's Rattler is the highlight as they try to make the most of their time at home.

"And, that’s exactly what we were trying to do, is just to create moments for her. Even though we’re stuck indoors, even though we have to socially distance, trying to create moments as a family."

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