Jo Ann Sutherland said she didn’t hear the knocks or bell rings at her front door Friday afternoon because she was feeling under the weather and decided to nap on the couch.

It took repeated telephone calls from the 78-year-old New Kensington woman’s neighbors to get her to answer the door to accept a delivery.

When she finally did answer, Sutherland was astonished to find a member of the Publishers Clearing House “Prize Patrol” waiting to present her with a bouquet of flowers, colorful balloons, a bottle of bubbly — and a check for $1 million.

“Oh my Lord, I think I’m going to cry,” she said. “I don’t know what to say. I had no idea.”

The retired PPG systems analyst said she’s been entering the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes daily for decades but never expected to win a prize.

“I’ve been playing for years and years, and I got to the point where I was thinking, ‘Why are you doing this when all these other people are entering,’” she said.

When Prize Patrol presenter Howie Guja asked what advice she had for other sweepstakes participants dreaming of winning a big prize, she repeated a simple mantra: “Don’t give up. Just don’t give up.”

In addition to paying off her bills and giving some away to charity, which she said was “very important” to her, Sutherland had no immediate plans for how she will spend the money.

When pressed if there was at least one big thing she might splurge on she said: “I really don’t know, but I would love to … get away from these Pittsburgh winters.”

Sutherland moved to the Carlisle area and then to the Pittsburgh area in the early 1970s to work for PPG, she said. She retired about 15 years ago.

Guja said Sutherland’s entry in the contest was selected on Thursday, so he and videographer George Mantzoutsos had to scramble to book a flight from New York City to Pittsburgh to present the prize.

Sutherland said the most money she’s ever had at one time was $20,000 after selling her previous home, but the money had to be used to buy her present home.

When asked what is feels like to be a millionaire, she responded: “It boggles the mind. It really does.”

“Talk about a life-changer,” she told Guja. “I can’t thank you enough.”

Before being able to rouse Sutherland from her sleep, Guja had a few minutes of concern about whether she was even home.

After picking up the flowers and balloons at New Kensington Floral and Gift Shop on Freeport Road and driving the short distance to Sutherland’s house shortly after 1 p.m., the Prize Patrol found Sutherland’s house dark with the shades drawn.

Floral designer Sheila Brunner of Lower Burrell said she once met actor Matt Damon while he was filming a movie, but being involved with The Prize Patrol on Friday “was way more exciting than that,” as manager Grace Ann Sims and co-worker Doreen Geopfert filled helium balloons to round out the prize package.

The sweepstakes company’s policy is to not inform winners ahead of time and to present their prize in person.

If a winner isn’t home, the Prize Patrol will wait. If that fails, the team will ask neighbors where to find the winner or go to their place of employment.

“If you’re a winner, we’re going to find you,” Guja said. “We’ll come back, go to your workplace. Whatever we have to do to give you your prize.”

When Sutherland didn’t answer repeated knocks and doorbell rings, Guja went to neighbors’ homes to inquire whether they saw her leave the house.

After several neighbors called Sutherland, Guja went to the back of the house and pounded on the door until she responded.

She was a little hesitant to leave the house with strangers at the door until Guja was able to coax her out.

Holding a giant-sized check emblazoned with her name, he beckoned her to step out.

“Come on Jo Anne, you know what this about. I think you’re going to want to come outside for this,” he said. “I know you said you weren’t feeling well today, but I think if you come on out, this is going to make the rest of your day a lot better.”

Beware of sweepstakes scams

Publishers Clearing House officials say their sweepstakes sometimes is used by scammers, who pose as company employees.

They stress that, in addition to never requiring people to buy something to enter, prize winners are not notified in advance or asked to provide personal information over the telephone or by email.

Chris Irving, the company’s vice president for consumer affairs, said the company provides detailed information on how people entering sweepstakes can avoid being scammed.

“We take these matters, where our good name and reputation is being used, very seriously, and it causes us great concern for the consumers who are victimized,” he told the Tribune-Review after a $1 million prize was awarded to a Shaler man in June 2021.

The comments were issued in response to inquiries from Trib readers who were contacted by scammers after reading about the prize award.

“The one simple rule consumers need to remember that would prevent being victimized by a sweepstakes scam is that at Publishers Clearing House, or any legitimate sweepstakes, no purchase, payment, order, tax or fee of any kind is ever necessary to collect a real prize.

“If someone tells you that you have won a prize but that you have to send money for any reason, hang up the phone, rip up the letter or delete the email,” he said.

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