Miami Mom Gives Ellen an Earful of Gratitude
Maria Holloway's family received, cash, tickets and a new truck from the "Ellen Show"
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Ellen DeGeneres
That screaming that you heard coming from Land Shark Stadium during the Monday Night Football game wasn’t the roar of Dolfans. It was Maria Holloway.
The down-on-her-luck Miami mom received a tailgate surprise, thanks to Ellen DeGeneres, who decided the needy family could use a break in this tough economy.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show sent Holloway four tickets to the Jets-Dolphins game, gave the family $2,500 and surprised Holloway with the keys to a brand new GMC truck.
But what may have been more impressive was Holloway's reaction to hearing DeGeneres' voice. We don't think her husband gets that much excitement.
The scream heard round the world, or at least Land Shark Stadium, was about as loud as anything going on inside. If anything, it may have prepared DeGeneres for what she will probably hear during her first season as an American Idol judge.
Holloway, 47, wrote to The Ellen DeGeneres Show months ago after her husband, Tom, was laid off from his job as an electrical engineer. Holloway herself couldn’t find work as a freelance classical pianist and the two children were becoming depressed about the situation, she wrote.
The family of four had spent up all its savings and was months behind on their rent, when Holloway decided to E-mail her favorite show for a little help.
DeGeneres answered the call in a big way. And Holloway’s reaction was classic.
The surprise aired on NBC on Tuesday and all anyone can remember is Holloway’s banshee scream through the phone when she heard the talk show host’s voice.
It wasn’t the first time DeGeneres turned her helpful eyes to the Magic City. Last year, she gave two Miami girls the chance to work the red carpet at a celebrity event.
Posted Wednesday, Oct 14, 2009 - 6:06 AM EST
