Laguna Beach Man Wins Big After Giving Back: Good News

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — A South Orange County resident is getting back what he gives, after Gustavo Maldonado of Laguna Beach was announced as the first early bird drawing winner for the 2024 San Diego Giving Back Raffle.

The raffle awards Maldonado with the choice of one of three prizes — an Africa and Asia safari by private jet, a 2024 Lexus LC Convertible or $100,000 in cash.

Maldonado told Patch that finding out his name was drawn as the Early Bird winner among 35,000 entries was "an incredible moment of disbelief and overwhelming joy."

"My sister called me, yelling in excitement, telling me I had won, and I thought she was joking," he said. "It wasn't until she sent me the video of my name being pulled from the raffle that it felt real."

Proceeds from the Giving Back Raffle have supported San Diego's Ronald McDonald House for 20 years, allowing the organization to provide a "home away from home" for families with a critical ill or injured child in a local hospital.

Maldonado said he's been donating to the fundraiser since 2007, when his niece was involved in a critical car crash.

"The Ronald McDonald House provided my brother and his wife with a place to stay, warm meals, and the peace of mind of being close to their daughter," he said.

According to the Ronald McDonald House, the nonprofit is celebrating 20 years of the Giving Back Raffle by allowing this year's raffle participants to purchase add-on tickets for 20 consecutive days of $20,000 prize drawings.

Residents can learn more about the San Diego Giving Back Raffle by visiting the fundraiser's website.