For Brad Hutchinson and his family, winning a new car at Sunday’s Abbotsford Heat hockey game was truly a feel-good story.
A week and a half ago, Hutchinson’s daughter Crissy, 24, totalled her car in an accident.
In light of that, Hutchinson’s victory in the My New Ride contest, sponsored by the Fraser Valley Auto Mall and the Abbotsford News, was both timely and thrilling.
“I’m thinking I’ll spread the wealth on this one,” an elated Hutchinson said afterward. “Crissy is expecting in August, and for a young couple with a mortgage to pay off, this (accident) is a real financial burden. I’ve got to consider what we might do for them to help them out.”
Hutchinson, 48, is the principal of Abbotsford Virtual School. He entered his name in a draw during the first intermission of Sunday’s game between the Heat and Toronto Marlies, and had his ticket pulled.
In the second intermission, eight vehicles – one from each Auto Mall dealership – were driven onto the ice. Hutchinson and seven other finalists previously selected in an online contest each chose a car key. Only one of the keys worked, though.
The contestants were supposed to take a seat in their vehicle and start the ignition simultaneously, but Hutchinson, behind the wheel of a blue Chevrolet Cruze, hesitated for a few moments.
“I have to admit, I held off a little bit because I was waiting to hear an engine start up on another vehicle,” he explained. “I didn’t want to disappoint myself too quick.
“But I finally turned it, and bang, it started up right away. It was like, ‘Wow!’ Unbelievable.
“I can’t even imagine that I won. I never win anything.”
Hutchinson now has a week to select a vehicle worth $24,000 from a Fraser Valley Auto Mall dealer.
Colleen Wilson took home second prize – a $2,500 service package – and third place finisher Steven Bricknell won a $500 parts and accessories package. The prizes are redeemable at any of the auto mall dealers.