Student Surprises Nana With Half-Court Shot $10,000 Prize
What would you do with $10,000? Jordan Stiers already knew the answer. If she won the prize money at her college basketball game, she’d give it to the grandmother who raised her — her ‘Nana.’ But the money was dependent upon making a near impossible half-court shot. So, with all the odds stacked against her, Jordan figured there was no way she’d ever win. Well, we’re delighted to report that Jordan was wrong!
A Chance At The $10,000 Half-Court Shot
Every year as the University of Kansas kicks off the basketball season, Bill Self, the men’s basketball coach, puts up $10,000 of his own money at a Late Night event. It gets fans excited about the upcoming season, and the chances that someone will make the near impossible basket required to win the money is extremely low.
In fact, according to ESPN, the odds of making a half-court shot are roughly 1-2%. So, when University of Kansas student Jordan Stiers became a contestant for the school’s annual Late Night event, she never dreamed she’d actually win the $10,000 on the line. But God had a special surprise in store!
Through a contest, Jordan became one of two contestants selected to “compete” for the money. Each could either take the shot themselves or pick a non-basketball player in the building to take the shot for them. Jordan chose Brennan Bechard, the Kansas director of basketball operations.
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Making The Half-Court Shot
There was some strategy behind Jordan’s selection. She’d seen Ben make the shot before. But of course, it was still going to take a miracle to do it again!
“I went to Late Night last year and I saw that (Ben) made the $10,000 shot,” she said. “I was like, ‘there’s no chance I will make it, so let’s go double or nothing on him and see what happens.’ As soon as he made the shot, I was in shock.”
Even though Jordan never dreamed she’d actually win the money, she already knew what she’d do with it. She decided to put it towards a debt she’d never be able to truly repay.
Giving Away $10,000
At 10 years old, Jordan and her siblings almost went into foster care. But then “Nana” came to the rescue!
“If she hadn’t stepped up and taken us in, we would’ve been split between five different foster homes,” Jordan recalled. “She saved us.”
Roxanne Edwards, Jordan’s paternal grandmother, stepped up and gave the kids a loving home.
“She’s been my rock in every situation,” Jordan said of her Nana.
And so, even before Ben made the miraculous half-court shot, Jordan knew she wanted to give the money to her Nana.
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And with a little help from divine intervention and Ben, she’s doing just that! And the gift came as a complete surprise to Roxanne. In fact, she even tried to deny her granddaughter’s generosity.
“She said, ‘You don’t have to do this,”’ Jordan said. “I said, ‘You also didn’t have to take us in when you were building your own life, so this is the least I could do.'”
What a beautiful way to say thank you!
Seeing this teen jump in to help an elderly woman struggling at the Dollar Store restored my faith in humanity!
h/t: Today Show