PORTSMOUTH — Hannah Wertens slept last night in a pink princess bed, a canopy above her and a Hannah Montana doll close by.

It was 6-year-old Hannah’s first night at her Tallman Avenue home since leukemia returned to her body in February. But the house she came home to was vastly changed from the one she left. About 150 volunteers transformed the ranch from a dark, mold-infested structure into a bright, airy house, complete with new appliances, furniture and photographs hanging on the wall.

It was enough to leave Hannah’s mother speechless. “I don’t even have any words,” said Deborah Kirchner, who, too, saw the renovations for the first time.

Though the family’s smiles were hidden behind face masks to ward against germs, their gratitude was palpable as Hannah, dressed from head to toe in pink, paraded past volunteers gathered to witness her homecoming.

“Welcome home, Hannah. Welcome home,” said Michael Landers, who delayed his winter migration to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., so he could dedicate 12 days to refinishing the family’s front door.

“See all these people, they love you and your family,” project manager Ed Silveira said, gesturing to the dozens of volunteers standing at the edge of a yellow tape line to catch a glimpse of the little girl.

The project began with a call from Hannah’s grandfather, Bob Benevides, to Habitat for Humanity of Rhode Island of East Bay this spring. He told Silveira, chairman of the group, of Hannah’s illness and how the house needed a new roof and to be cleared of mold.

Silveira, a Middletown councilman, decided to take the project on. In doing so, Habitat teamed up with Rebuilding Together of Greater Newport and tapped into a vast volunteer base. Cardi’s refurnished the home; Gil’s Appliances equipped the kitchen; Rhode Island Kitchen & Bath refitted the bathroom. The list goes on.

Volunteers replaced the roof, re-shingled, installed hardwood floors and new windows, painted, and sewed duvet covers and curtains. Other touches included landscaping, a new driveway and a spruced-up jungle gym. They even enclosed a porch so Deborah could have her own bedroom, after long sleeping on the living room couch.

“I think everybody involved has been very touched,” said Susan McCoy, chairwoman of Rebuilding Together of Greater Newport. “It could be our own child.”

Hannah, a student at All Saints Academy in Middletown, was diagnosed with leukemia at age 3. The disease went into remission for 10 months before being discovered again in February.

A drive to find matching bone marrow was held in March after it was determined that her sister Cynthia Kirchner, 17, could not be a donor. A match was found, and Hannah received a transplant 113 days ago. She will remain in isolation until March, meaning she can visit with people at a distance.

“She’s my hero. She’s really my hero,” said Benevides, known as Poppy to Hannah.

Hannah, her sister and mother have lived with Benevides since February. A single mother, Deborah Kirchner lost her job teaching at Head Start after 23 years because of time spent caring for Hannah, he said.

“Ed Silveira, we call him my granddaughter’s guardian angel,” Benevides said. “I never realized there were so many good people.”

And while gratitude consumed Hannah’s family, it was clear the rewards were many for the volunteers: new friendships and loads of good karma grew over the Saturdays spent in Hannah’s home.

“This is the highlight of my summer,” said Landers, 66.

“It feels incredible,” said Silveira, whose 14-year-old son joined him on the job. “I’m going to miss being here.”

kmulvane@projo.com