"He had a one-year visitor's visa when he entered the show and that had nearly run out when the show ended. Now that he's won, he's been granted an extended three-year stay."
The Taranaki farmer said his son was likely to sell the car as it was much easier to get around by taxi in New York. "When you are Sean's age and living in the middle of a big city, a car is liability, really. He says he is currently working on some red carpet designs for celebrity clients although I don't know who they are. I think he is still buzzing from the dream-come-true state of things, as we all are."
Mr Kelly says his wife, Margaret, has trouble making quick trips to the supermarket these days.
"She goes to get a couple of things and doesn't come back for two hours because people want to talk about Sean and Project Runway. It's funny because many of them are people who wouldn't normally watch a show like that but they know Sean is on it so they have started tuning in."
The show was not screened in New Zealand until Sky TV channel Vibe purchased the rights in October when the final episodes were screening in America.
Project Runway screens at 9.30pm on Thursday when viewers can see Sean team up with a fellow contestant to create designs from items found in storage containers. Mr Kelly says he has no concerns about his son's ability to cope with life in the Big Apple. "He is resourceful and he has always been very good at building networks."
