September 4, 2008
For Immediate Release
For an Interview:
Mark Chapman
(801) 246-2843
UVU student Daniel Gibbons, a physical education major from Orem, won $10,000, with a possible $100,000 more, for being a finalist in the Wells Fargo “Someday Stories” essay contest.
Gibbons’ essay was based on a nearly fatal car accident he experienced in 2005 on an Arizona highway. In his story, Gibbons explains how the wreck that almost claimed his life became a guide to his future career goal as a physical therapist.
"A broken pelvis and femur bone stranded me in an unfamiliar hospital environment among doctors, nurses and physical therapists," Gibbons wrote in his essay. "Throughout the coming months, I would experience more pain, discomfort and sense of achievement than I had ever felt before. My experience in physical therapy as a patient has led me to pursue a new dream: to serve others in recovery as a physical therapist."
The entire winning experience seems surreal to Gibbons, who found out about the contest through a flyer in his Wells Fargo bank statement. Although he wasn’t sure anything would come from it, he decided the contest was worth a shot and submitted his article.
"I basically wrote out the true story about my accident and how it changed my life's path in maybe 15 minutes, tops," said Gibbons. "I just wrote it once, read it to my wife and sent it in. That's why this is so unbelievable."
A month later he received a package in the mail with a $1,000 check and letter saying his essay was one of 12 semi-finalists selected from among 10,000 entries. Then, at the beginning of August, he received a call that he'd survived the next cut. Gibbons was one of five finalists awarded $10,000 and a consultation with Wells Fargo professionals to create a plan to meet his career goal.
Each of the finalists will have a two-minute video on the company's Web site, www.wellsfargo.com/somedaystories, starting Sept. 17, where people can vote for their favorite story. The finalist with the most votes will receive the $100,000 grand prize.
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College Marketing Contact:
Megan Laurie
(801) 863-7149