Once upon a time, Ty Pennington was one of the most popular faces on American TV; thanks to his well-received TV show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The fact that he was super cute and funny also did not hurt at all. However since 2010, the media personality has literally disappeared from the screens and even though his beloved show is getting a reboot, he is nowhere in sight. So, what happened to America’s favorite carpenter, where is he now? Is he dead or alive? All these and more will be answered below.

Is Ty Pennington Dead Or Still Alive, What Happened To Him?

Gary Tygert Burton was born on the 19th of October 1964 in Atlanta, Georgia. He spent his formative years in Marietta and completed his high school diploma at Sprayberry High School, Marietta, Georgia.

While growing up, Pennington taught himself various aspects of carpentry and became well-versed in it. He, however, did not see it as a viable career option and as such, decided to study some other subject in college. Pennington initially studied art and history at the Kennesaw State University. He later transferred to The Art Institute of Atlanta where he completed a degree in graphics design.

Following his graduation, Ty Pennington initially worked as a model. He appeared in commercials for companies such as Levi’s and Macy’s. The Atlanta native also scored print ads for J.Crew.

Ty Pennington got his first career breakthrough in 2000 when he was hired to become a crew member on the TLC show, Trading Spaces. The TV series gave two sets of neighbors the chance to renovate one room in each other’s house with the show providing the budget as well as experts. Trading Spaces ran from 2000 to 2008 and Pennington was one of the featured carpenters on the show. He gave such a good account of himself that midway through the show, he was tapped to headline Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition involved helping less-privileged families to remodel their homes. The renovations covered interior, exterior and landscaping, and is carried out just under seven days while the family is away on vacation. On the 7th day, the family returns to witness the amazing transformation that has been carried out. The show ran for a total of nine seasons (2003 – 2012) and received two Emmy awards for Outstanding Reality TV Program. The show also won praise for its utilization of volunteers. Extreme Makeover was eventually canceled in 2012 and Pennington revealed that he would miss the show as much as he would always be proud of being part of it.

Ty Pennington is very much alive and is still going strong. Since the end of Extreme Makeover, he has tried his hands at several other endeavors with varying degrees of success. The Atlanta native has hosted a wellness talk show (The Revolution) as well as a cooking competition (On The Menu). Both shows, however, did not last for long as they were canceled after a short time.

Where Is He Now?

Pennington has since turned his attention to other successful TV shows such as American Diner Revival and Growing America. The former involves the architectural and culinary revival of a failing diner while the latter sees a bunch of MBA students try to revive struggling small businesses. Ty Pennington is also faring well off the screens. He has served as an ambassador for companies such as Sears, Abbott Nutrition Baby Formula, and Guaranteed Rate (a Chicago-based mortgage lender). The TV personality has also designed a string of products which is carried by different companies. They include an impression fabric line with Westminster Fabrics, a flooring line with Lumber Liquidators, and an outdoor and holiday décor line with Sears.

Ty Pennington’s Family Life

Pennington hails from a family of four. His mother’s name is Yvonne Burton while his biological father’s name is Gary Burton. The TV personality also has an elder brother named Wynn. Pennington’s parents divorced when he was quite young and the two boys thus grew up with their single mom. Their mother later remarried a man named Nick Pennington. Ty Pennington has disclosed that he made several attempts to have a healthy relationship with his biological father. He, however, gave up after realizing that his biological father was more of a dreamer and less of a financier. The TV personality made his peace with this reality and now considers his stepfather as his real dad.

Ty’s family life also revolves around Andrea Bock even though they are yet to officially become man and wife.