[BelfryPride]

Life after TV ‘amazing' for couple





BY LEIGH ANN WELLS

STAFF WRITER

STONE - David and Mary Conley are normal people who watch celebrities on TV. They never dreamed that their time on television would make them celebrities as well.

But it has. Since the Stone couple was eliminated from this year's “Amazing Race” Sunday, the parents of three have been living in a whirlwind of television appearances, telephone interviews and a landslide of gifts, courtesy of “The View” co-host Rosie O'Donnell.

The couple say they never expected the nationwide attention they have received for simply being themselves. During their appearance on her show Tuesday morning, O'Donnell praised the Conleys for the genuine kindness they displayed to everyone they met during the eight episodes of which they were part.



Before appearing on “The View,” David, 32, and Mary, 31, spent Monday making appearances on “The Early Show” and “Live with Regis and Kelly.” But even before their elimination from the race, Mary and David noticed that things were different - even in the Tug Valley.

“It's almost like being in a scary movie,” Mary said Thursday. “You feel like somebody is watching you. Turns out, they are.”

Mary was referring to a trip to the South Williamson Wal-Mart when a young boy approached her and asked if she was Mary from the “Amazing Race.” Though the couple has been home since the end of June, people did not begin approaching them until the show's season began airing. When the boy approached her, Mary said she acknowledged her identity and introduced herself to the boy, who told her his family was hiding around the corner waiting to see if it was, indeed, her.

“It's a good thing,” Mary and David both said. “We love that people are watching the show.”

From the beginning, David and Mary said they had much support in their decision to appear on the reality show. David originally tried out for another CBS show, “Survivor,” but was told the “Amazing Race” had been looking for a coal miner to appear.



Not being able to divulge information about their appearance on the show, David and Mary could only share the basics with their family - not even their three children knew which show they were going to be a part of - and David's employers at Patrick Processing. Despite the fact that he would be away from his position as a third-shift boss indefinitely, David said his bosses, Billy Smith and Garrett Blackburn, told him he would have a job when he returned, wished him good luck and asked if he needed anything.

“They're just the greatest!” Mary said of Smith and Blackburn.

As for the race itself, the Conleys visited Seattle, Washington; Beijing, China; Ulan Bator, Mongolia; Hanoi, Vietnam; Ha Long Bay, Vietnam; Channai, India; Kuwait City, Kuwait; Mauritius and Antananarivo, Madagascar. David and Mary differ as to which city was their favorite.

Mary said she liked Mongolia because the climate is similar to that of Kentucky and while they were there, a festival celebrating children was in full swing.

“I was missing my kids so bad,” she said. “To see them having a festival that celebrated kids just being alive meant a lot to me.”

David said that Vietnam was both his favorite and least favorite place. He explained that he was unsure how he and Mary would be treated as Americans while there, but said the people were like Kentuckians in that they were helpful, even escorting the couple where they needed to go when David and Mary asked for directions.

Mary said she hated China because there was a “huge” communication problem there. She learned key phrases in Spanish and other languages in preparation for the show, but did not understand the symbols of the Chinese language.

Even though the couple traveled extensively while on the show, they both say Australia is their dream destination and they hope to take their kids - Cody, 10; Hannah, 6, and David, who just turned 6 - to the Outback one day.

“That's just always been my dream,” Mary said. “I just think it would be amazing.”

David and Mary said they learned a lot during their stint on the show.



“We take things for granted,” Mary explained. “We are Kentucky. We've been to all the corners of the world and we now know that there's no place like home.”

Now that David and Mary are home, they have a lot of work to do. In addition to fulfilling plans to show their kids America, the Conleys have to make use of the bevy of gifts bestowed upon them by O'Donnell when they appeared on “The View.”

Mary said O'Donnell had already given them a cruise they will take in February. On Tuesday, O'Donnell gave them three more family trips - to San Diego, Disneyland and the Grand Canyon; a $1,000 gift certificate to Carhart for David to use for work clothes; a gift certificate for a new computer; a new Eddie Bauer edition Ford Explorer and last, but not least, a new house to replace their single-wide mobile home. They must call a special telephone number to make arrangements to pick out their new Explorer and are awaiting surveyors to come and determine if their property is big enough to accommodate the three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath home O'Donnell picked out for them.

There won't be a problem if the property is too small. O'Donnell provided the couple with a book of several homes from which they can choose if they need to pick another.

David and Mary said they were surprised and overwhelmed by O'Donnell's generosity. They say they don't understand why O'Donnell was so impressed with them, even though she came to their dressing room before the show and praised them for the generosity and spirituality they displayed while on the show.

“I'm not better than anybody else and they're no better than me,” Mary said. “We are the luckiest people in the race. She has given us all of our dreams.”

“I'm just like - wow!” David said.

Construction of their new home is expected to be completed by Christmas, they said.

O'Donnell only asked for one thing in return for all of the gifts bestowed upon David and Mary. She wants them to give their mobile home to a family who needs it.

When asked if they have someone in mind to receive their soon-to-be-former home, Mary said they do.

“My mommy taught me that charity starts at home,” she said, saying that the mobile home will go to a local family.

Even though David and Mary had no idea they would leave an impression on the viewers of the “Amazing Race,” they do hope the impressions made are positive.

“I want to be an inspiration to women everywhere that you can do anything you put your mind to,” Mary said.

They want people to approach life with “an open mind and open heart.”

“Just set your mind and go to it,” David stressed.

*Courtesy: http://www.news-expressky.com/articles/2...01race.txt

[CAM2006]

Great job David and Mary.

[Midee1]

Wow great story!

[CatDawg]

Hated to see them get eliminated but they came close twice prior just glad they didn't change and it worked out in the end.

[BelfryJustice]

They were fun to watch! Great job Mary and David!