By David Vitrano
L’Observateur

LAPLACE – A LaPlace woman got the surprise of a lifetime Thursday as the Publishers Clearing House Prize Patrol paid her a visit.

After returning home at the urging of her husband, Larry Guitterrez, Elise Guitterrez came to the door still carrying a plastic shopping bag from the groceries she was unloading.

As what was happening dawned on her, Elise Guitterrez put her hands to her mouth as she struggled to take it all in.

But the reality of the situation took hold as the Prize Patrol handed her a check for $1 million.

“Why are your hands shaking?” asked a member of the Prize Patrol.

“Oh, because I just won $1 million,” she replied.

“I still feel like I’m dreaming,” said Elise Guitterrez.

She said she enters the contest every day, but added, “You always think it’s someone else.”

Guitterrez said the money will come in handy as she and her husband just recently moved back into their home following Hurricane Isaac.

After she was presented with a bouquet of roses and a bunch of balloons, it was time to pop the cork on a congratulatory bottle of champagne.

“I never drink champagne,” she said, “but let’s have a drink.”