Chester County Woman Shocked With $10k Gift, Tickets To Ellen Show

WEST CHESTER, PA -- West Chester’s Lori Plans, fighting illness, wrote to Ellen Degeneres and said definitively that she was her biggest fan.

“You have made such an impact on my daily life and you don’t even know it,” Plans wrote to Ellen, who read her letter on-air during a February show. “You have been my saving grace. You have never failed to bring a smile to my face, even in the bleakest times. Nothing would bring me greater joy than to come on your show and personally thank you for all you have done.”

Ellen answered her letter - but she also had a few other tricks up her sleeve as well.

She sent a camera crew to Plans’ house to surprise her during one of her shows.

As Ellen watched from the studio, her assistant Jeannie crept up to Plans’ door and knocked and rang the doorbell. As soon as Plans’ son opened the door, the whole family knew what was happening.

Plans, her son, and Jeannie began hopping up and down in excitement as Jeannie breathlessly explained that not only was Plans on TV now and that she would be getting tickets to a future show, but she was also getting a $10,000 gift from Shutterfly for a family vacation.

Shutterfly is a fund which surprises guests on the Ellen show by ”helping to share lie’s joy,” paying for college, student loans, school libraries, and other worthy projects.

“Oh my god, oh my God, I don’t know what to say,” Plans said as her family gathered near the front door and spoke to Ellen in the studio.

“I know you’ve had some health issues, but how do you feel right now?” Ellen asked.

“This is the best I’ve felt in 38 years,” Plans said tearfully.

See the full clip below. 

Image courtesy Ellen TV.