Tearful Abu Dhabi mother wins Dh100K in Dear Big Ticket, set to reunite with son

When Veronica Immaculate Angwen, a 37-year-old Ugandan mother, walked into the Big Ticket studio, she had no idea her heartfelt dream was about to become a reality. Moments later, as hosts Richard and Bouchra revealed that she had won Dh100,000, Veronica couldn’t hold back her tears.

For nearly a decade, Veronica has been living in Abu Dhabi, working tirelessly since 2015 to provide a better future for her little boy, Kyrie. But the sacrifice came with heartbreak – Kyrie remained in Uganda, raised by his grandmother, while Veronica sent home every dirham she could.

The distance was painful. Veronica still remembers Kyrie’s words the last time she visited home: “Mommy has gone home,” he told his grandmother as Veronica boarded her flight back to Abu Dhabi. “It broke my heart,” she recalled, her voice trembling. “I just want him to be home with me.”

When she heard about Dear Big Ticket, an initiative that invites people to share their most meaningful wishes, Veronica decided to try her luck. She never imagined her deepest wish – to reunite with her son – would come true.

The moment Veronica won, she called her mother in Uganda, her voice shaking with joy: “Mommy, Kyrie is flying. You guys are flying.”
Then, she picked up the phone and told her son his flight is getting ready.

Now, with the prize money, Veronica can finally bring Kyrie to Abu Dhabi.
“Right now, I’m planning to bring my son to join me here. I want to call him on his birthday so we can celebrate together for the first time in years.”

Veronica said she will keep trying her luck with Big Ticket.
“I would definitely give Big Ticket another try, there’s nothing to lose and so much to gain. My advice to others is simple: the sky is the limit. Keep trying. As long as you’re alive, there’s always hope.”