Appreciation Winners’ Stories – 2024
This year’s Appreciation Winners have entered the TMC Mega Raffle in previous years and many of them have previously won prizes. Here are heartfelt stories from our top four winners in 2024:
Melanie Hernandez – Winner of $50,000
Melanie is a frequent TMC Mega Raffle participant and a first-time winner. She was shocked and amazed when she got the call learning that she was this year’s lucky $50,000 prize winner. She spent quite a bit of time at TMC, driving back and forth from her home in Benson when her mother suffered a stroke and was receiving care at the hospital. Entering the raffle is a way to honor her Mom and TMC. Melanie is also grateful to her husband for urging her to enter. She said that winning will help them pay bills.
Rachel Valdez – Winner of $10,000
Every year for the past four years, Rachel’s husband has given her a ticket to the TMC Mega Raffle as a Valentine’s Day gift. The couple’s twin grandsons, now 5 years old, were born at TMC and cared for in the NICU for four months. “The staff was so wonderful, and they took such good care of our grandsons,” Rachel explains. “It’s because of TMC that we participate – it is such a good cause.” Rachel and her husband recently celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary. “Every year my husband says, ‘Maybe next year’s our year,’ and this year it is.” Mr. and Mrs. Valdez are still in shock from hearing the news that they are one of this year’s $10,000 cash winners, and they will be celebrating big this Valentine’s Day.
H. Parikh – Winner of $10,000
Ms. Parikh is also one of this year’s $10,000 winners. She’s participated in the TMC Mega Raffle in previous years, but this is the first time she has won anything. She said she has many friends that work at TMC and knows they are making a difference. She’s also had friends and family that were cared for at TMC and thinks it is important to support our community hospital. “A hospital is a place everyone needs at one point or another,” she says. “My life has been touched by so many and I always believe in helping out locally.” Ms. Parikh has not decided what she will do yet with her winnings, but she wants to do something first to give back to the community and then plan a celebration with her two daughters.
Corrine Carr – Winner of $10,000
Growing up in Arizona, Corrine remembers her Mom entering these kinds of raffles every year and couldn’t wait until she was old enough to enter herself. She’s been buying tickets for years and previously won smaller prizes. This year Corrine cut out images from the TMC Mega Raffle brochure, put them on her vision board and told her husband she had a good feeling. She is beyond thrilled to learn that she was right – and is a $10,000 cash prize winner. “I am a small business owner and always make a point to give back anyway I can. Entering the TMC Mega Raffle is one of the things I do,” Corrine said. Corrine and her husband got married this past December and they’re remodeling their home themselves. The prize money will help pay house expenses, a trip they are planning with their kids to Disneyland, and they are saving for a honeymoon. “I will also use some of the money to donate to charity.”
