The Pace Family Reflects on Last Year's Christmas 50/50 Win
Published Thursday, December 14, 2023
The Pace Family Reflects on Last Year's Christmas 50/50 Win
Winning the Christmas 50/50 definitely can be life-changing. But Nick and Natalie Pace, who won last year’s Christmas 50/50 Grand Prize, were determined to keep life as normal as possible.
"Life hasn't changed that much," Nick said. "We have the same routine as before. We are still working because we couldn't even imagine retiring right now."
What the win did bring is more financial security and less stress from bills – and that suits them just fine. Big trips, a fancier home, and the other things people imagine they'll get when they win millions are very nice, but the Pace family is happy where they are.
“This summer we went to Wonderland in Toronto,” Nick said. “We also had a great opportunity to see a Blue Bombers game in Winnipeg.”
Natalie remembers back to the day when she first answered the phone call and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation President & CEO Glenn Craig told her they had won the Grand Prize.
"I never expected to win," Natalie said. "For me, buying 50/50 tickets was just a great way to support the Hospital. When I received the call that morning, I couldn't believe that this was really happening! In a way I'm still in disbelief. When I told Nick that we had won the draw, he just kept saying, ‘What draw?’ He couldn't believe it either!"
"It was a great gift from above that we'll never forget and never take for granted," Nick said.
"We are so very grateful!" Natalie said.
Humble as they are about winning, it did allow them to do one thing that really meant a lot to Natalie. A month after winning the Grand Prize, the couple made a large donation back to the Foundation to help support the Northern Cancer Fund and the Northern Cardiac Fund.
"I was very happy the day that I went back to the Hospital to bring in the donation," Natalie said. “It was such a great day for me! It was really nice to know that this donation would be used to help others. This is something that really means a lot to me."
The Paces have some advice for this year's Grand Prize winner, who will take home a guaranteed $2 million or more in the Christmas 50/50.
"Stay grounded and be grateful,” Nick said.
Will Glenn Craig be calling you this December? But your tickets online at thunderbay5050.ca or visit the Christmas 50/50 Pop-up Store at Intercity to get a festive card and envelope for under the tree. You could be Ontario's next multi-millionaire!
Last December, Glenn Craig (left), President and CEO of the Health Sciences Foundation, presented the largest Thunder Bay 50/50 grand prize to date - $2.53M - to the Pace Family (l-r) Nick, Natalie, Maxim and Mario. A month later, the couple made a large donation back to the Foundation for cardiac and cancer care.