It all started back in February when I decided to apply to be fan of week. I have watched the show for almost 5 years. In fact, it was a book Hoda suggested that inspired me to write 365 thank you cards in 365 days, leading to the creation of this blog. Here is the letter I wrote to them:
I am a huge Kathie Lee and Hoda fan. I started watching the 4th hour of the Today Show my first year in college. During this time my parents were going through a nasty divorce and I was adjusting to being in college. Since then, I have watched the 4th hour of the Today Show everyday for the last four years. Kathie Lee and Hoda are the people that I eat lunch with, workout to and laugh with everyday. During my lunch break I can always be found in the break room catching up with them. They are my “friends in my head”. If I could go out to lunch with anybody, it would be these two ladies. It has always been a dream of mine to join them on their Wednesday lunch and Matinee date to the theater to see Hoda’s favorite show, Beautiful, which is now my favorite show! Thanks to them I have fallen in love with theatre all over again!
My favorite part of the show is their chat segment, which catches me up on everything happening. I live for Kathie Lee’s Friday funnies and iHoda playlist (or better yet, Kathie Lee’s face expressions throughout the songs). I also love Joy Fit Club, recently having lost 20 lbs I am so inspired by the stories of the men and women who have lost large amounts of weight and have transformed their lives.
Hoda has also been a great inspiration to me. Two years ago, she shared the book “A Simple Act of Gratitude: How Learning to Say Thank You Changed My Life” by John Kralik which inspired me to write 365 thank you cards in 365 days, leading to the creation of my blog. She has inspired me to start running and promoting breast cancer awareness through running. I listen to her iHoda playlists songs and audiobooks on almost all of my runs. Sometimes I add Kathie Lee's music into my running playlist. To this date I have run eight half marathons and am currently training for the NYC marathon and continue to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
During a trip to NYC this past year, I was out on a run and ran into Hoda. She was so sweet and was exactly how she is on TV. You never know what celebrities are going to be like in real life. Hoda was truly the person she is on TV, generous, caring and kind. However that day, I didn't just run into Hoda Kotb, I ran into someone who has truly changed my life. I even got another selfie with her when I ran my 8th half marathon in April!
My day isn't complete if I don't watch the 4th hour with Kathie Lee and Hoda. Thank you ladies for always being there with me, through the thick and the thin. Cheers!
I basically forgot about entering into this competition, and then a few weeks ago I got a phone call letting me know I was being considered for a finalist. I sent in a few more photos and crossed my fingers. This past Friday I got another phone call letting me know I was one of the finalists. If you follow me on Twitter you might had noticed I was tweeting about being anxious and nauseous about something happening on Monday. I told very few people about being a finalist… Didn't want to jinx it!
Today at 9:45am I Skyped in with the Today Show. WHAT A COOL EXPERIENCE! Crossing my fingers and toes, I waited there until 10:20am when the announced fan of the week. When they first announced the city I had forgotten I put down South Hadley back in February. I thought I hadn't won. Then I saw my photo, heard my name and saw myself on air AND FREAKED OUT! WHAT THE WHAT! You can watch it all HERE!
I can't believe this all happened. Immediately after I was done my phone was blowing up with people saying they saw me on TV. How cool is that? After running around the house screaming with excitement I had to run back to work. I was hoping to catch it on TV myself, since it airs at 11am here in Boston. However, due to breaking news it didn't end up playing :( When I got back to work, no one seemed too excited. I was sort of bummed. I was really excited about it and wanted to share it with the people I worked with, but some of them (not all) showed zero interest or care in the world. Thats ok… no raining on my parade! I got to watch it in the break room once it was put online. It was so bizarre seeing myself on a show I watch every single day. I was shocked by all the sweet messages I got from friends via Facebook, text messages and Twitter. I am so blessed to have the friends I have and I want to thank them all from the bottom of my heart.
In addition to being crowned "Fan of the Week" if you answer a question right, which I did, you win a vacation to somewhere all expenses paid. I won a trip to Miami! Some people would say that this is the most exciting part, and it is a great bonus, but to be on a show and interact with two people I have spent every lunch time and workout with since I was a first year in college, was the best part. I am so grateful to Kathie Lee and Hoda; I have laughed and I have cried with them. They have made me smile in some of the darkest times and are people I would consider "friends in my head". People may think they are silly or goofy, but they let me smile and laugh when it doesn't always seem possible.
Today is a day I will always remember. I look forward to stopping by the studio when I am in NYC for my marathon and getting away with Janelle to Miami for a fun girls vacation! I am so honored and grateful, and feel like I am floating on a cloud!
Here is a video of my reaction to today. It is set to Beautiful from Beautiful: The Carole King Musical because if it wasn't for Hoda I would have never seen the show and fallen so in love with it and Carole King's music!
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