On August 15th, Lisa heard us play the keyword "Vegas" and texted it to 200200 hoping to win a trip to our iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas, but little did she know that fate would step in and allow her to be the grand prize winner!
Needless to say, Lisa, of Pilot Mountain, North Carolina, was pretty excited back in mid-August when she got the call from us that she won an all-expense paid trip for two to Las Vegas. She planned to invite her niece Melissa, and the two of them would've had a GREAT time as trip winners, but less than a week before they were to leave on their trip, they got another phone call from us. This phone call was to inform then that they were randomly chosen as the Ultimate VIP Experience winners! Yeah, of all of the winners to our iHeartRadio Music Festival, they scored the grand prize of all grand prizes, including first class airfare, front row seats to both nights of the festival, a suite at the new Park MGM hotel, a fancy dinner, iHeartRadio Music Festival swag, a guitar signed from some of the artists, and other cool stuff and experiences. On top of it, they would get to enjoy a Top Golf experience with Dustin Lynch, who was set to play the iHeartRadio Music Festival Daytime Stage, and they would get to have a pre-show toast with Jason Aldean the Friday night of the festival. What a prize, huh?
But the prize goes so much deeper. You see, Lisa's niece Melissa was in Las Vegas nearly one year ago watching Jason Aldean perform at the Route 91 Harvest Festival when suddenly shots were fired. Melissa was THERE. She told me that she took off running and hid for several hours in a hotel room on the 13th floor of the MGM Grand. She saw people around her being shot. And she knew from that day on that she was going to live life to the fullest. To quote her... "why not me, why not now?" and she has taken life by the horns ever since.
So, needless to say, Melissa returning to Vegas with Lisa was met with mixed emotions. She never thought that she would return to Vegas, and now she was going as an Ultimate VIP with Lisa. It's funny how life has a way of taking twists and turns and putting you right where you need to be,
When they came to the radio station to fill out their paperwork for the trip, I asked if they would send me some pictures to share. Here are some of those pictures.
This was when they first got there as they were ready to hit the town.
Here is that magic moment when Lisa got to meet Jason Aldean.
And here is Melissa meeting Jason. The both wear bracelets to remember the 58 lives lost at the Route 91 Harvest Festival.
Here they are having more fun out in Vegas.
Here they are with Dustin Lynch.
And here they are with "Carrie Underwood."
What a weekend, huh?!?!?!
And check out the video that our digital department made of the moment when the two met Jason. This will pull at your heartstrings.
A very special thank you to Lisa and Melissa for kindly sharing their photos with us.