Oklahoma

Oklahoma teen wins Volkswagen Beetle after attending a stranger’s funeral

Published

2 years ago

October 16, 2023

Oklahoma teen wins Volkswagen Beetle after attending a stranger’s funeral

An Oklahoma teen is on top of the world after winning a car last month at a funeral 30 miles away from her home — fulfilling the last wish of a woman she had never even met.

“I’m very grateful for this,” Gabriella Bonham, 16, of El Reno, Oklahoma, told Fox News Digital.

“Every person that I’ve told about it has said, ‘Oh my gosh. That’s what I should do whenever I pass away.’ Or, ‘I should do something like that at my funeral.’ I think that it’s really cool to see something good happen and the effect that it makes on other people who weren’t directly involved in it. Just people want to do good things. It’s amazing.”

That’s exactly the way Diane Sweeney of Oklahoma City wanted it.

She died suddenly on July 7, 2022 — and just a few weeks before had told her nephew that when she died, she wanted to gift one of her prized possessions — a 2016 Volkswagen Beetle — to someone who attended the funeral.

“She always had a giving spirit,” Sweeney’s nephew, Rick Ingram, told Fox News Digital.

“She told a few of us her wish. I remember it clear as day. She said, ‘Whoever comes to my funeral, I want them to have a chance to win my Volkswagen Beetle.’ And I said, ‘Oh, Diane, I’ll make that happen.’”

Thirty days later, Ingram said he got a call telling him that his aunt had passed away.

Sweeney, who worked in biostatistics for an East coast pharmaceutical company, was not married and did not have children.

After a successful career, his aunt decided to move back to Oklahoma and live a simple life, said Ingram.

“She valued a peaceful life,” Ingram said.

Oklahoma teen, Gabriella Bonham, 16, wins Volkswagen Beetle after attending a stranger’s funeral.

Rodney Bonham

“She could have lived anywhere and driven any vehicle. And what she cared about was her Christian faith, her family and her Volkswagen Beetle. She also loved Sonic and Burger King.”

Ingram said he and his cousin, Suzanne Singleterry, decided to make her final wish come true.

So they reached out to local news outlets to help get the word out.

“We put it in the local paper,” Ingram said. “That her wish is that whoever comes to the funeral — and she didn’t care if they knew her or not, or their age, race — would have a chance to win her car. Channel 4 picked it up and asked if they could do a news story [about it].I said, ‘Absolutely. It’ll pack the funeral home’ — which it did.”

Sixteen-year-old Gabriella Bonham was one of the people who came to the funeral.

“I saw it on TV and then we kind of just laughed it off because we were like, ‘That would be so funny to go to,’” Bonham said.

Diane Sweeney wanted whoever came to her funeral to have a chance to win her beloved Volkswagen.

“Then I was like, ‘Can we actually go?’”

Bonham talked two of her older sisters and some cousins into going with her to the service — and what started out as a fun adventure turned into a more meaningful experience than she ever imagined.

There, Bonham learned about the life and kindness of Diane Sweeney.

“It was very interesting not to know her and to see her life through her family’s eyes,” Bonham said.

“They put together the slideshows and everything and so it was just interesting to feel like you knew someone that you had never met before. They said that she was a very funny and fun person to be around and that she loved her family and church. It definitely seemed like she was a generous person.”

Bonham filled out her raffle ticket and went on her way — but didn’t hear anything for over a year.

Ingram said it took that long to settle Sweeney’s estate and then they were free to hold the raffle.

Sweeney had enlisted two trustworthy friends — Rudy Espinoza and Taylor Hurt — to keep the tickets safe and finally to draw a name on Sept. 15, 2023.

The staff of Resthaven Funeral Home in Oklahoma City also helped facilitate the raffle.

Out of the blue, Bonham said, she got a phone call that changed her life — or at least her ability to get around town.

She was experiencing issues with her current car and it was not a reliable mode of transportation, she said.

“I wasn’t expecting it at all,” Bonham said. “I was just in a hotel room with my family because we were currently on a trip. They just told me and I was standing in the middle of the room, just so shocked. My parents were trying to guess what it was. They were like, ‘What happened? Are you OK? Who is it?’ After I got off the phone, we all got excited and called all of our family members who knew that I went to the funeral.”

Ingram said it was a lot of fun making the call and hearing the excitement of Bonham’s family in the background.

“The perfect winner was drawn,” Ingram said.

“She was ecstatic and very grateful. I had a divine feeling from the start [that] this wish would be seen through one way or another — a young girl starting her life as Diane’s was ending. It worked out perfectly.”

A few days later, Bonham made the trip to Oklahoma City to claim her prize.

“I was trying not to freak out because it was just so cool,” Bonham said.

“It was a lot of pressure, driving away in front of everybody. I was kind of nervous. So I was just thinking ‘Don’t do anything stupid. You know how to drive. Don’t worry about it, just drive away.’”

Ingram said he’s grateful for the message of his aunt’s life.

“Diane would have been thrilled with everyone that attended the funeral,” Ingram said.

“She was always thinking of others, even after her death, which is one of her many legacies. And now [Gabriella] starts her life in the spirit of Diane.”

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Oklahoma

Drone intercepts Oklahoma tornado

Published

16 hours ago

May 21, 2025

Press Room

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Oklahoma

Can Oklahoma State baseball make run in Big 12, NCAA tournaments? Examining Cowboys resume

Published

1 day ago

May 21, 2025

Press Room

Can Oklahoma State baseball make run in Big 12, NCAA tournaments? Examining Cowboys resume

A month ago, it was fair to turn and look away from Oklahoma State baseball.

The Cowboys looked nothing like themselves. Losses piled up. The offense struggled. The pitching was worse.

Sitting below .500, the belief was that OSU would miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time under coach Josh Holliday.

My, how things can change.

There are few teams hotter than the Pokes entering conference tournament week. They’re coming off a three-game sweep of Arizona State. They’ve won 9 of 10 games.

OSU is suddenly back in the NCAA Tournament picture, too.

The Cowboys enter the Big 12 Tournament at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Wednesday as the No. 7 seed. They’ll face Baylor at 4 p.m. on ESPNU.

Here is what to know about OSU entering the postseason:

Oklahoma State baseball resume

Record: 27-22 (15-12 Big 12, 7th)
RPI: 45th (through May 18 games)
Projected seed: USA TODAY: No. 3 seed in Chapel Hill Regional (last four in); D1Baseball: No. 3 seed in Corvallis Regional
Notable: The Cowboys’ mid-season struggles and cancellation of several Big 12 games can be overlooked in part to a tough schedule. OSU’s strength of schedule ranks No. 11 in the country, according to D1Baseball.com’s RPI.

OSU baseball Big 12 Tournament preview

Never count out the Cowboys in this tournament.

The format is different — an increase to 12 teams and a change to single elimination — but the talent is just the same under Holliday.

The Cowboys get a boost by opening with Baylor, a team they took two of three from and nearly swept on the road less than two weeks ago.

But this is no easy field. Eight teams are ranked in the top 50 RPI and all 12 are in the top 90.

Should the Cowboys win, they face No. 2-seeded Kansas. The Jayhawks swept OSU in late March, signaling the downturn of OSU’s season. Another win could mean a date with No. 3 TCU.

Though that appears daunting, the Cowboys have won this tournament four times, including last season.

Why Oklahoma State baseball can make a run in NCAA Tournament

First, the Cowboys have to get in.

Though projections are favorable — Baseball America and D1Baseball.com both have OSU in as of Tuesday — a win or two in Arlington will go a long way to make them feel safe.

But get in and the Cowboys face significantly less pressure than the past three seasons. There will be no home regional, which OSU has lost each year at O’Brate Stadium since 2022.

Getting away from Stillwater could be a positive.

Plus, it helps that OSU has a bona fide ace in left-hander Harrison Bodendorf, who leads the league with 10 wins and is tied for second with a 2.43 ERA.

Mario Pesca and Hunter Watkins have also become reliable starters in the rotation.

And don’t forget about the Cowboys’ offense that can overwhelm opponents.

Slugger Nolan Schubart is third in the conference with 17 home runs after a slow start. Colin Brueggemann is not far behind with 14. And Brayden Smith has become a lightning bolt for the Cowboys’ lineup.

OSU has outscored its opponents 80-27 over the last 10 games.

Why OSU baseball can’t make a run in NCAA Tournament

Even though getting away from O’Brate Stadium might make some OSU fans who remember the past all too well feel a little better, it shouldn’t.

OSU is 18-12 at home and 5-12 in true road games.

That’s far from ideal.

So, which bullpen will show up? The one that has been rock solid in the final month or the one that was a total disaster in March?

Legendary pitching coach Rob Walton has worked his magic turning the staff around before he enters retirement. But things can turn in an instant for any college pitcher.

And though the Cowboys can slug, there are issues with the lineup. Schubart and Brueggemann are prone to strikeouts. And facing a team with strong lefties can neutralize the duo.

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Oklahoma

What channel is Kentucky baseball vs Oklahoma on today? How to watch SEC Tournament 2025

Published

2 days ago

May 20, 2025

Press Room

What channel is Kentucky baseball vs Oklahoma on today? How to watch SEC Tournament 2025

Kentucky baseball is set to begin postseason play this afternoon against Oklahoma.

The 13th-seeded Wildcats (29-23, 13-17 SEC) will face the 12th-seeded Sooners (33-19, 14-16) in the first round of the SEC Tournament at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama.

Kentucky will attempt to replicate its magical postseason last year, when it reached the College World Series.

This is the fourth time the Wildcats are playing the Sooners this season; Kentucky won the previous three matchups.

Here’s what you need to know about Kentucky’s first game in the SEC Tournament, including bracket, schedule, seeding and more:

Date: Tuesday, May 20
Time: 2 p.m.

Texas (42-11)
Arkansas (43-12)
LSU (42-13)
Vanderbilt (39-16)
Georgia (42-14)
Auburn (38-17)
Ole Miss (37-18)
Tennessee (41-15)
Alabama (40-15)
Florida (37-19)
Mississippi State (34-20)
Oklahoma (33-19)
Kentucky (29-23)
Texas A&M (28-25)
South Carolina (28-28)
Missouri (16-38)

All times Eastern.

First round: Tuesday, May 20

Game 1: No. 9 seed Alabama vs. No. 16 seed Missouri | 10:30 a.m. | SEC Network (Fubo)
Game 2: No. 12 seed Oklahoma vs. No. 13 seed Kentucky | 2 p.m. | SEC Network (Fubo)
Game 3: No. 10 seed Florida vs. No. 15 seed South Carolina | 5:30 p.m. | SEC Network (Fubo)
Game 4: No. 11 seed Mississippi State vs. No. 14 seed Texas A&M | 9 p.m. | SEC Network (Fubo)

Second round: Wednesday, May 21

Game 5: No. 8 seed Tennessee vs. Game 1 winner | 10:30 a.m. | SEC Network (Fubo)
Game 6: No. 5 seed Georgia vs. Game 2 winner | 2 p.m. | SEC Network (Fubo)
Game 7: No. 7 seed Ole Miss vs. Game 3 winner | 5:30 p.m. | SEC Network (Fubo)
Game 8: No. 6 seed Auburn vs. Game 4 winner | 9 p.m. | SEC Network (Fubo)

Quarterfinals: Thursday, May 22

Game 9: No. 1 seed Texas vs. Game 5 winner | 4 p.m. | SEC Network (Fubo)
Game 10: No. 4 seed Vanderbilt vs. Game 6 winner | 7 p.m. | SEC Network (Fubo)

Quarterfinals: Friday, May 23

Game 11: No. 2 seed Arkansas vs. Game 7 winner | 4 p.m. | SEC Network (Fubo)
Game 12: No. 3 seed LSU vs. Game 8 winner | 7 p.m. | SEC Network (Fubo)