Longtime Aldergrove resident, Niki Nielsen, has always wanted to attend post-secondary school and now has the opportunity after winning $59,500 in a radio contest.
Z95.3 FM held a contest 鈥淕uess That Sound鈥� over the last few months, where residents around B.C. had an opportunity to guess the sound being played and win some cash. Each time the guess was wrong, the jackpot increased by $500.
Niki has participated in radio contests many times and won smaller amounts before, but the money was needed for rent or other necessities to provide for her family.
鈥淭his is an entirely different level for us and truly feels like we are stuck in a dream,鈥� she said.
She plans to pursue at least a bachelor鈥檚 degree in social work, something Niki has always wanted to do.
鈥淭his will give us a chance to build a really solid future for ourselves and my son.鈥�
She lives with her 13-year-old son, Kaiden Nielsen, and partner, Greg Glover, and foster animals with Heart and Soul rescue shelter in Abbotsford.
In addition to pursuing a post-secondary education, Niki wants to make a donation to the shelter in honour of their first rescue animal who passed away a few years ago.
The family also plans to fix their two 20-year-old cars, and take a long-awaited vacation to Disneyland.
鈥淚 have never been, neither has my son. We are going to do a family trip down to Disney within the next year and experience that together for the first time as a family,鈥� Niki shared.
The contest opened in early March and had guesses from residents on Vancouver Island to Chilliwack, with several in Maple Ridge, 91原创, and Aldergrove.
Lucky winner Niki said Kaiden is to thank for the winning guess of closing and latching a window when she participated on May 23.
The radio released a hint that morning that the sound could be created by hitting 鈥渃ontrol, alt, delete.鈥� When she asked her son what that means, he responded that it closed a window.
鈥淚t was totally thanks to my 13-year-old鈥檚 quick thinking brain,鈥� Niki praised.
To celebrate, the family went out to Triple O鈥檚 restaurant.
Although a few days have passed since the news, Niki said it still feels like a dream after struggling to recover from the pandemic.
She added that she鈥檚 touched people have been reaching out to share their congratulations and kind words.
鈥淭hose moments of connection with others, even if they are fleeting, have made us feel wealthier than the huge jackpot itself.鈥�
Niki loves the connection radio provides and it has been a part of her life since she was young. She intends to continue tuning in, and participating in contests after a break.
She invites people to tag her in any contest.
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