2023 STARS ‘lottery on a mission’ takes off in Regina

STARS launched the 12th edition of its “lottery on a mission” Thursday.

A $1.5-million, fully furnished dream home is up for grabs. It was built by D&S Homes and designed by GA Interiors and is located in Spruce Creek Estates, just outside Regina near Pilot Butte.

The home features a spacious open-concept great room and dining room with soaring vaulted ceiling. It also has three bedrooms, a walkout basement complete with a lounge space, and an entertainment area.

Another dream home in Saskatoon can also be won.

In addition to the dream homes, the STARS Lottery website listed many other prizes, including trips to places like Paris, Ireland and New York, cars, a Moose Jaw spa getaway, a three-night stay at Elk Ridge Resort and a fishing trip on Wapata Lake.

Andrea Robertson, the president and CEO of STARS Air Ambulance, said during a media conference at the Regina-area dream home that STARS receives 50 per cent of its funding from the provincial government.

The remaining 50 per cent needs to be raised through initiatives such as the lottery.

“When (people) buy a lottery ticket, (they’re) putting us in the air,” she added.

Chris Faubert was at the event to share the story of his son, Draedon.

Faubert said on May 3, 2020, his son was a passenger in a single-vehicle rollover. He suffered numerous injuries, including two broken femurs, lacerated internal organs, extensive trauma to his lungs and a severe brain injury.

“Draedon was thrown from the vehicle and over a train track embankment. One of the passengers had his cellphone on and a driver on the highway noticed a light from the phone and stopped,” Faubert said. “I was told later that there were no other vehicles on the highway that night.”

Faubert said that person called the paramedics, who arrived and assessed the situation. That resulted in STARS being called to the scene.

“At the time, they thought there were only two people in the car,” he added. “One of the passengers kept insisting there were three.”

A search later began and about three hours later, Draedon was found, Faubert said.

“He was rushed to Regina by STARS as we were told he would not have made the trip by ground,” he added. “We were also told STARS exhausted every resource they had to keep him alive.”

Once in Regina, people at the hospital tried to stabilize Draedon enough to transport him to the children’s hospital in Saskatoon, the father said.

“When everything looked good, (Draedon) took a turn for the worse and they had to do emergency surgery on his femurs and stabilize his lungs,” he said. “It was then that they determined that he would not make the trip to Saskatoon on the ground and he was flown by air ambulance to Saskatoon.”

Draedon’s parents were asked whether they wanted to sign do-not-resuscitate orders or place their son in an institution because he may never walk or talk again or have much brain function, Faubert added.

“Months later and a stay in the Regina General and the Wascana Rehab Centre, he’s now talking, walking and doing things that nobody ever thought would be possible,” he said. “Sometimes I feel guilty now because before all I wanted for him was to be alive and home.”

“I would just like to thank all of my allies and STARS (who) were a part of that night,” Draedon said.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been amended to correct the number of bedrooms in the lottery prize home.