Catherine Young still thinks she’s dreamed a phone call on Monday morning when her winning key was drawn by The Hits Breakfast hosts Jono and Ben in their Live Free competition with OneRoof.
Catherine Young still thinks she’s dreaming. She received a phone call on Monday morning informing her that her rent would be covered for the next 12 months, and the news still hasn’t sunk in.
The 29-year-old community support worker from New Plymouth won the Live Free contest run by The Hits Breakfast radio show and OneRoof.
The prize money of $23,500 will mean both she and her husband Jaygon Sutton, who works at the local timber mill, won’t have to worry about their rent.
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“We’ve never had the opportunity to be involved in the housing market, none of our age range friends own houses,” Young told OneRoof.
“This will change my life.”
She added: “We do have KiwiSaver and we’ll be opening a bank account for buying my dream home. That’s crazy to think I could be a homeowner.”
The Hits Breakfast hosts Jono and Ben celebrate with Catherine Young (on back screen). Photo / Supplied
Young’s father has been encouraging the couple to look at putting a house on his country property, but now they might have other plans, she said.
“I love my job, I love my clients, I love my husband and my life. One of my clients, they're amazing parents, they have a strong marriage and hopefully that’s my life.
“I’m family oriented, that’s my thing, but [owning a house] would be a dream,” she said.
“My dreams are big, our aspirations are even bigger. Our family is filled with love, that’s happiness for us. This is really going to change my life.”
Catherine Young, her husband Jaygon Sutton on their wedding day three years ago. Photo / Supplied
Young said that after a couple of tough years, a lot of people need to find their drive again.
“Thumbs up to anyone who has a home and can call it their own."
Paying down the mortgage – or ditching the landlord for a year – is clearly high on Kiwis' agenda, with over 100,000 calls to The Hits in the five-week promotion. One hundred and fifty listeners made it into the draw for the key, and five of them made it to the final week.
Young took home the prize in a Zoom call Monday morning over a champagne breakfast supplied by The Hits to help her celebrate.
“You’ve chosen the right winner,” she said.
