A western P.E.I. man who lost his home in a fire earlier this summer has miraculously won a raffle for a new cottage.
Alberton’s Daniel Drouin recognizes the wild stroke of luck, one that couldn’t have come at a better time.
“It’s life-changing really,” he said Saturday. “It’s just such a weird coincidence that … I get picked out of that many people.
“And then all the circumstances that’s happened with me and my family in the last month, and then you go and win the house. You know, it’s, what are the odds?”
There were about 14,000 tickets sold for the draw. The grand prize winner could choose between the pre-fabricated cottage and $150,000.
Drouin is a musician and had to perform on Friday night. The phone rang as he was settling in for an afternoon nap.
He had purchased a $50 raffle ticket for the Big Brothers, Big Sisters draw before the house fire. He said he was reluctant at first, but his girlfriend encouraged him.
A video posted by Big Brothers Big Sisters captures the moment Myron Yates, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Prince Edward Island, called Drouin to let him know he won.
Drouin at one point asked if this was a practical joke. “It’s not, seriously,” said Yates. “We wouldn’t do that to you.”
Drouin said he was in shock.
“I thought it might have been a prank call… but it wasn’t. After he gave me all the details, he called me back just to make sure I understood it was not a prank,” he said.
The cottage doesn’t come with a piece of property. Drouin isn’t sure yet where he’ll put it.
He said he’s been living apart from his two children. He’s been living with friends. One of his children is with a friend and one with grandparents. He said the cottage gives the family a chance to reunite.
It was around 2 a.m. on a dark July night when Drouin learned his house was on fire. It was his son who called to give the news.
“[He] called the fire department and woke everybody up and got everybody out of the house,” Drouin said.
He said his house will have to be torn down.
He said he plans to go to Charlottetown on Monday to check out his new cottage and take care of some paperwork.
“It means a fresh start really, I mean, yeah, and a fresh start for the kids, too, and everybody will be back together,” he said.
