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Rapper Turned Real Estate Flipper Helps Injured Hollywood Firefighter

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DAVIE (CBSMiami) - Pools can be a pricey addition to any home. But one South Florida firefighter will soon be swimming in his own backyard thanks to a rapper with a big heart and a knack for home renovations.

Vanilla Ice, aka Rob Van Winkle, surprised Derek Avilez and his family Tuesday at the groundbreaking of their new swimming pool.

"We can all make a difference and it's great to make a difference with you and your family. Thanks for having us. Let's go build a pool," Van Winkle said.

The rapper turned real estate flipper is helping build a pool for Derek Avilez, a Hollywood firefighter who suffered a spinal cord injury as a result of a skim boarding accident in 2010.

Click here to watch Lauren Pastrana's report

"I was like you gotta be kidding me. I wanted to get a pair of Z Cavarricis and start breaking it down," Avilez joked.

The project was made possible thanks to Van Kirk and Sons Pools and the Darrell Gwynn Foundation.

"We normally donate wheelchairs to people to improve their quality of life, but this is another way of us giving back to the community," Gwynn said.

Bobby Van Kirk has worked with Van Winkle before, building beautiful pools for his DIY Network Show, "The Vanilla Ice Project".

"It should be wonderful in their backyard. It should bring a lot of love to this family," Van Kirk said.

Avilez spends a lot of time in a pool to help regain his mobility.

"I'm a fish. I love being in the water," he said.

His wife said the new addition to their home will help keep therapy costs down.

"I'm just excited that he can do therapy every day. The water therapy is what got him walking," Priscilla Avilez said.

Experts say water therapy can help paralysis patients by increasing their muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance.

The buoyancy of the water eases the impact on joints.

But the benefits of this pool extend beyond the physical.

"The biggest thing for this pool is that it's going to get me playing with my kids again. Standing up, playing with them in the water," Derek Avilez said. "I'm just grateful to be alive."

For the Avilez family, it's a gift that will bring them closer together.

"Smile are contagious so we're here to spread a little smile," Vanilla Ice added.

Derek Avilez also received a handicap accessible van last year thanks to the generosity of family, friends and strangers.

The family will appear on a future episode of The Vanilla Ice Project.

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