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HEA
UR Nursing grad surprised on live TV with $100K award in recognition of his selfless work on COVID front lines Story by Ivy Burruto Photos by Steven Eloiseau
Jose Perpignan ’16N waited in front of his computer for an interview to begin one October morning, completely unaware he was moments away from winning a life-changing amount of money. On live TV. The popular morning show “Live with Kelly and Ryan” was holding a “Healthcare Hero $100K Giveaway” contest in collaboration with SoFi, a digital finance company, to recognize health care professionals for their work on the front lines during the pandemic. Perpignan knew his friend, Erika Hunt, had nominated him for the prize, but he thought producers were reaching out to clarify some of the information submitted about him. Then the show’s executive producer, Michael Gelman, got on the line. “Jose is that you? Can you hear me? Can you see me?” said Gelman, feigning a poor connection over Zoom. “Yeah, I can hear you,” replied Jose. “I’m having a little bit of a bad connection. Hold on for one second. Let me try to fix it.” “Jose?” asked host Ryan Seacrest, “Hey, it’s Ryan and Kelly Ripa!” “We just thought we’d let you know that you are the winner of our Healthcare Hero $100,000 giveaway!” Ripa said excitedly. Surprised and nervous, Perpignan thanked the show, Erika, and family members who recognized his deep commitment to the nursing profession and the community. “I don’t know what to say! I’m so grateful to have this help. It will put me in a space to focus more on my goals and giving back to the community, which is what I’ve dreamed 34 NURSING 2020 Volume 2
of doing for a very long time. It means so much to my family, my kids, and all of my friends. We’re just so happy!” said Perpignan. Recognizing that health care workers were among the hardest hit during the COVID-19 crisis, SoFi teamed up with “Live with Kelly and Ryan” to award $100,000 to one doctor, nurse, or physician assistant who has made a major difference in their community. Viewers were asked to submit
