This would have been an amazing story for the shot alone. But it’s what happened the next day that is the big story now.
Briefly, Nick and Nate are twins that attended a charity hockey event. There was a $50,000 Shot contest, and Nick’s name was called to make the shot. But he was outside, so Nate took his place, and shot the puck through the hole, winning the $50K. Dad signed the papers in the heat of the moment, but felt bad the next day and called the management and confessed. They are not accepting the $50K. The insurance company has not been reached for comment. No word yet on whether they will be given the money anyway.
What would you do?
Us Girls..Our Views 
I saw that on the news! Wow, great lesson that the dad taught the kids by not accepting the money. But at the same time, $50,000 what was he thinkin?!! lol It’s a tough one.
I don’t know for sure but like this dad, I’d feel guilty and I don’t think lying would be a good thing to show my kids. After all, they know who made the shot. On the other hand, it would have been nice to offer it to the boy who did make the shot. It’s still really good publicity and it’s still a hard thing to do. I’m pretty sure I’d have told the truth but man, that’s good college money.
I probably would not have let the wrong son attempt the shot in the first place. Had he made it, it would have been very tempting to keep the money, but I would have seen that as a huge opportunity to teach my kids what character is. And frankly, I think good character is worth a lot more than $50K. (Chances are, if he was at a charity golf event with prizes like that, he was already pretty comfortable financially. But still, I’m sure his kids got a good lesson in character.) If they do get the money anyway, I still think that could send the wrong message, so personally, I’d probably direct it toward a charity.
Totally agree, SKL.
I don’t know. I think I’d probably have let the kid take the shot. Who ever would have thought he’d make it and it was such a neat and fun thing to get to do. For the fun of it only because until just now, I thought he hit it into a net. Not a little hole. I didn’t watch the clip and misread the part of the hole being just big enough for the puck. I honestly thought he shot into a hockey net. I’m sure that dad just thought it would be a fun thing to do and just didn’t think the kids would get it in there. Just being able to try was enormous.
I still think they should get the money and I’d put it in a college fund. The boys know the dad did the right thing. I don’t see a wrong message. I would have, had the dad not told but he did. They were going to award the prize money anyway. Why not to them? He did make the shot and he’s only a little boy. I’m sorry but I just don’t see any wrong message here.
Maybe I have an unusually devious mind, but when I was a kid, if I’d gotten rewarded after admitting my wrong, I might have been that much more tempted to pull a fast one at the next opportunity, because “it’s worth a try.” Either way you look at it, the family would be rewarded for breaking a rule. I do think it’s awesome that he made the shot, but he cheated. You don’t get paid $50K for cheating, in my opinion. I also have a little suspicion about ill-gotten gains.
I agree with you Joy!
But don’t you also think it shows the boys that nothing bad will happen when you tell the truth? I think the opposite of you. They told the truth and didn’t get punished. Telling the truth shouldn’t always mean you’re going to be punished. Sometimes silly mistakes don’t warrant punishment. It also wasn’t really the boys who lied. The dad told this boy to go take the shot. I also feel if you always get punished when you tell the truth, it breads lying. You lie so you don’t get punished. If you’re going to get punished either way I could see why people would try and lie. Sometimes it takes a big person to admit to mistakes and I think the admitting is the punishment. Sometimes that is, of course not always.
Not winning a $50K prize that you didn’t qualify for is not getting punished. It’s just getting what you would have gotten if you had not cheated – which happens to be nothing. Getting punished would be if he got grounded or whatever for the cheating.
Let’s put it this way. Suppose he stole money from an old lady’s purse and then fessed up. His parents make him give the old lady back her money. Has the child been punished? I don’t think so. Giving back something that was never legitimately yours is not a punishment, in my opinion.
I would tell the officials the truth and let them sort it out. Whatever they come up with would be the final outcome (as far as the money goes). However, I think it would be just the beginning of a learning lesson for the boys… and many others.
I haven’t paid much attention this. Didnt the dad know which son was shooting to begin with? If so, dad made the first mistake. He could have told them from the beginning that it was his other twin son.
The dad was sitting in the crowd. His other son had gone outside when they drew the name (it must have been some kind of a “break” in the game). The dad told the other boy to go shoot and I’m sure he never in a million years thought the boy would make the shot and he said he got all wrapped up in the excitement when the boy got it in. He started to feel guilty when they got home and he really started to think about what had happened.
I really feel that “cheating” and “wrong doing” starts with a motive. This man didn’t set out to cheat or break the rules. When they called the wrong boy he probably thought, “what the hell,” try. Go for it. Just try. Did you see the size of that hole? It was just barely big enough for the puck. I’m sure this charity never thought anyone would make the puck in. He probably just thought it was a fun thing to do.
I know rules are rules but haven’t there ever been times when you really felt a rule could bend? The way this man stepped up just goes to show you he didn’t set out to cheat anyone.
Bending the rules is okay some times. But if bending the rules puts $50k in your pocket I think that may be Felony Bending The Rules. Lol
I agree. This dad didn’t do anything with ill intent. He wasn’t trying to cheat. I do think the son that made the shot should still get the money. That was an incredible shot!!!! I’d let the officials make the decision and if they still allowed the boy to take the money, that’d be fine with me. College money!!! I know that teaching our kids life lessons is important and teaching them to be an honest person is one of the best things you can do as a parent. I don’t think the dad failed in that department here, and I don’t think if they would have kept the money he would have failed.
When I first put this up, I realized that, if I’d been in that position, I would *never* be able to keep the money. I’d be like Phoebe in Friends when she was talking about getting shoes for free. She’d walk down the street and keep hearing, with every step, “Not-mine-not-mine.” And if she skipped, she’d hear, “not-NOT-mind, not-NOT-mine” (“Friends” fans will get it).
Anyway… I think, had I been in that Dad’s place, the FIRST thing I’d do, if it was kid 1 called and he was outside? Send Kid 2 to get him while I went to the officials and said, “we’re getting him. He’s outside,” and let Kid 1 make the shot. I don’t think I’d have sent Kid 2 in his place, unless I asked first, simply because I know that I’d never be able to live with myself if I pulled a switch.
I looked for a resolution to this story, and didn’t find one. I have no idea if the family ended up keeping the money or not.
I’m a Friends-er so I get it. I totally get it.
YAY!!! I hoped someone would! I hate to make a reference and have it fall flat.
I hope nobody thinks I would have kept this money because there’s no way I could have. Anyone who knows me knows I’m too dumb to tell a lie. I can’t keep them straight so I just normally don’t lie. I can lie easier over the phone but in person, nada. I just can’t.
I just don’t think this dad “meant” to cheat. I think he just kind of “went with it” and you can tell he’s an honest Joe because as soon as he got home he felt guilty and as soon as he was able he called and fessed up. I do think he should have done that. I just feel that the people could let the boys keep the money. That’s all. It was an incredible feat.
I don’t think the man meant to cheat either, but I never did figure out why he didn’t just have someone get the other boy! I’m glad he didn’t accept the money and I did hope that the officials would give the other boy something since he did make the shot.
I just heard on the news that the insurance company was not rewarding the money to these boys but they did donate $20.000 to the Youth Hockey Association of MN in their names. That’s pretty cool of them I thought.