Life Changing Call Announces Hanmer Couple as $6.4 Million Winners

There wasn't a dry eye at the Thunder Bay 50/50 store this morning as Glenn Craig made the 11:00 A.M. call that would change a life forever. On the other end of the line was Natalie Bigras and her husband Clem of Hanmer, Ontario, who had just learned they were the winners of the record-breaking $6,436,355 grand prize in the Thunder Bay December 50/50 draw - the largest in the draw's history.

“I think this is a call that's going to change your lives,” Glenn told Natalie and her husband Clem, moments before revealing the incredible news. “Stop it, oh my God, I'm shaking like a leaf,” Natalie said through tears, as Glenn replied with equal emotion, “So am I.”

“We just dropped off our son at the airport because he's going back to Calgary, we haven't seen him in six years,” she said. “This is absolutely going to change everything.”

“Being able to tell someone they've just won over $6 million is an indescribable experience,” says Glenn Craig, President and CEO of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation. Hearing the raw emotion on the other end of the line is something I'll carry with me forever. It's a privilege to be part of such a life-changing moment for someone.”

When asked what inspired her to buy tickets, Natalie and Clem spoke about the impact of the 50/50 funds. “Seeing what the hospital does with the 50/50 money, it goes back to the hospital. When you live in these rural areas up north, so many people have to go south to get care. Now, they're getting things done there,” they said.

“In July, I lost my dad and took care of him at home. I've been off work since May to be with him his last three months of his life, and I had hospice care at home. I don't regret any of it,” she said. “I'm so grateful, so overwhelmed. My heart is full today.”

This month's draw shattered expectations, surpassing its $2.5 million grand prize guarantee in less than a week and climbing to an astonishing final total of $6,436,355, setting a record as the largest Hospital 50/50 in all of Canada.

Since inception, the Thunder Bay 50/50 has awarded over $50 million in prizes while transforming health care in our region. In November alone, $6.6 million in grants were announced to fund essential equipment upgrades across every area of the hospital, ensuring patients receive the best care possible.

The Draw has now created new millionaires across Ontario every month for the past 16 months, marking an unprecedented run of life-changing wins. Last Christmas, the Grand Prize payout was $3,983,185 - a milestone that this December's record-breaking prize has significantly surpassed.