Kelowna lotto winner to use prize to spread her mother’s ashes

A Kelowna woman is one of five B.C. winners of the 2021 Lotto Max Dream Studio contest.

Aiyla Forgie was one of 230 entrants in the Dream Studio contest, where contestants submitted a 30 second video to answer the question ‘What’s your dream?’

Forgie, who lost her mother in April 2020, submitted an entry that outlined her plan to pay tribute to her mom by spreading her ashes at the top of Alaska’s Mount Denali, the tallest mountain peak in North America.

Forgie told the B.C. Lottery Corporation that while her mother did not enjoy travelling much, she lived vicariously through her daughter’s hiking trips, and always encouraged her to chase her adventurous dreams.

“She was always the one person who, it didn’t matter how big or how crazy my dream was, she was always like, ‘OK, yeah, you can do it,’” said Forgie in a release.

“Even though this is such a huge, crazy feat, I know that I can do it, because I still have that piece of her in me — believing in me.”

As one of the winners in the Lotto Max Dream Studio, Forgie will receive an all-expense paid trip to complete her hike, plus a Mountain Equipment gift card with a total value of over $13,000.

Forgie told the BCLC that her next goal is to climb the seven highest mountains on seven continents, as endeavor climbers refer to as completing the Seven Summits. She will start her adventure at Mount Denali, where she will spread her mother’s ashes.