Meet Ora Gayton, Our Newest “Forever” Prize Winner
While Chicago lived up to its “Windy City” nickname last Friday, the Prize Patrol balloons did not blow away from us — as they have on occasion — and everything went beautifully, producing one of the most thrilling “winning moments” in PCH history.
A caravan of TV news and radio reporters followed the Prize Patrol van from a South Chicago florist to a high-rise apartment where our winner resided. Excited building staffers greeted us and squeezed us into elevators which whisked us to a hallway where we crowded around Ora Gayton’s door ready to surprise her with our fabulous “Forever” prize.
“Maintenance here,” barked a well-known building staffer, as he casually knocked on the door so that Ora, a 93-year-old resident, would not sense anything unusual. But what she saw when she opened the door was definitely unusual! There was the smiling Prize Patrol surrounded by cameras, lights, balloons, roses and (ta-dah) a Big Check proclaiming Ora the winner of $5,000 A Week “Forever.”
Right behind Ora was her daughter Charlene who instantly recognized what was going on. Together they screamed, “Oh, my goodness! Oh, my God! Oh, my Lord!” When we handed Ora a real check for $50,000 (to show we were serious) she said “Am I dreaming?” We pinched her to prove that this was “no dream.”
You can watch Ora’s winning moment here:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Lzsu6kI7SY&w=480&h=480]
What Is PCH’s “Forever” Prize?
Winning the “Forever” prize provides Ora with $5,000 a week for the rest of her life and then $5,000 a week for the lifetime of a beneficiary she will soon choose. With children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, Ora has a large family and loads of friends who are all thrilled by her well-deserved good fortune. A follow-up phone call told us that the celebratory lunches and dinners are continuing non-stop!
A retired beautician, Ora has no immediate plans for her newfound wealth but assured us and a huge TV and PCH Fan Page on Facebook audience that “It will be put to good use. It’s a dream come true.” Charlene, a retired school teacher, added, “Words cannot express the experience! This is a morning that will always be remembered.”
Congratulations, Ora, and welcome to our huge and ever-growing family of winners! And to the rest of you — follow Ora and Charlene’s advice: “Keep the dream alive” and enter!
Dave Sayer
PCH Prize Patrol Ambassador
P.S. Would you like to congratulate Ora on her huge “Forever” Prize win? Comment below!
P.P.S Want to meet some more PCH winners? Come back to the PCHblog this afternoon to celebrate #WinnerWednesday!
