For Manassas resident, Oprah show delivers a big surprise
Manassas resident Angie Watson stopped by the Karen Radley Volkswagen dealership in Woodbridge on Thursday afternoon to pick up her new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle.
And she didn't pay the dealership any money for her new ride.
Watson won the car, priced at $21,665, during a taping of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" that she attended last year and that was aired Nov. 17.
One of Watson's dreams before her 50th birthday last year was to meet Nelson Mandela and Oprah Winfrey, she said.
But she thought she would never see the talk-show star in person after news spread last year about the show ending after 25 years on the air.
Unknown to Watson, her friends wrote to the show's producers and told them of Watson's work in the community, which involved giving Thanksgiving baskets, Christmas gifts, and other items to homeless people at Prince William-area shelters.
As if fulfilling one of her life's dreams wasn't enough, she had one more surprise she found out, while in the audience, she was attending an "Ultimate Favorite Things" episode. That's the yearly taping in which Oprah would give away expensive presents to the entire audience.
She was pleased to win several items during the show, including an Apple iPad, diamond earrings and a cashmere sweater.
But Watson couldn't believe what she saw toward the end of the episode.
"Oprah drove a (Volkswagen) Beetle onto the stage," Watson said.
Oprah, according to Watson, paused and seemed to be sad as she got out of the car.
"She said that Volkswagen didn't let the show give the audience the car," Watson said of Oprah.
Her letdown was short-lived.
"Oprah then said that we were getting 2012 Beetles instead," Watson said. "People (in the audience) screamed, jumped up and down and hugged everybody."
But with the gift came another surprise Watson, along with the entire audience, had to wait a year until the 2012 Beetle model was released.
Show staff members also forbade her from telling anybody she won anything until the program aired a week later, according to Watson. She said she had to use her imagination to overcome questions from curious friends and family members.
"I told them that people were singing Christmas carols on the show," Watson said laughing.
Watson said she was only able to choose the color of her car. She picked silver.
Dealership personnel placed Watson's new car in their showroom before her arrival and kept it a secret.
"I was right by the car and didn't know it," Watson said.
Watson was speechless when Radley staff presented the Beetle to her.
"Wow ... wow," Watson said and laughed as she sat in the dri! ver's se at for the first time.
Karen Radley Volkswagen general sales manager Brett Siock said he was pleased to participate by giving Watson her new car.
He said the dealership was recently notified by the Oprah show that a local resident won the car and to prepare for her arrival.
Watson said she couldn't believe the car was hers.
"It's going to take me a few days ... driving around to get used to (the car), but it's great," Watson said.