Original Air Date:
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Episode 6 - "Big Dreams":
The final 4 contestants landed in New York City for the "Big Dreams" mission that challenged them to work together to make final dreams come true for 2 people dying from cancer. Helping them along the way would be Jada Pinkett Smith, Natalie Cole, Gayle King and Donald Trump.
Making Emily's Last Wish Come True:
Emily, who has played the piano since she was 3, has dreamed of playing on stage at Carnegie Hall for her entire life. Wanting to attend the Conservatory of Music, Emily had to settle for being the pianist for her church for 31 years which she gladly accepted. Emily's daughter Toni explained that if Emily could live out her dream, she could truly rest in peace. Rachael and Stephen began to work hard to organize this amazing day for Emily and her family in New York City.
Making Mike's Last Wish Come True:
Mike, a 33 year old father of 3, is suffering from cancer and thanks to his sister Katie, he will be helped to achieve his dreams by the Big Give contestants. Mike was diagnosed in 2004 and recently his family began to struggle paying the medical bills, spending all of their savings, and fear that they will lose their house. Cameron and Brandi started to organize what they wanted to do for Mike and his family, this included: paying off their mortgage, getting him a new truck, getting a scholarship fund for his children's education, and planning a fun day in New York City.
Getting Help from Gayle King:
Oprah sent the contestants a text that directed them to meet with Gayle King to see if she could help them with her many resources. Gayle got right to work saying that the team at O Magazine could do Emily's hair, makeup and style her clothing - she even went as far as contacting Natalie Cole to see if she would make an appearance at Emily's performance.
To help Mike and his family, Gayle called Donald Trump to see if they could use his helicopter to take the Machinski family on a tour around the city - he of course agreed.
Jada Pinkett Smith Joins the Big Give:
Jada Pinkett Smith joined the contestants to help them raise money to help the Machinski family with their financial worries - in the first 10 minutes they were able to raise $100,000!
Trouble with Rachael:
Stephen, Brandi and Cameron had troubles with Rachael from the beginning of the challenge - Stephen's problems started when Rachael wanted to sing at Emily's performance and continued when she gave the man donating food for the family the wrong hotel to deliver it to. When the food arrived there was nothing to serve it with and not drinks. While Stephen worked to feed the family, Rachael was singing with Emily.
The Machinski Family Day in New York City:
Mike and his family had no idea what was going on when his sister told them to get in a limo which drove them to New York City for their day of fun. Brandi and Cameron met the family and started their day at American Girl where the girls were able to pick out dolls and gifts for themselves. After, Mike and his wife Becky were taken to Saks to shop with a personal stylist. The family then took a tour of the city in Donald Trump's helicopter which they said they would never forget.
Emily's Big Reveal at Carnegie Hall:
Emily and her family arrived in New York in a large bus and entered Carnegie Hall for the performance. Emily was able to wear $10 million dollars worth of diamonds that had been loaned from a local jeweler. Emily started her dream by playing a song on the stage alone - just her piano and God. When Emily played, her family sang along to the hymns. Rachael then went to the stage and sang a song while Emily played which angered her teammates. Natalie Cole then went on stage to surprise Emily and sang her "Unforgettable" which Toni said made Emily's dream come true!
Mike's Big Reveal in New York City:
After Mike's family finished their helicopter ride, the team brought the extended family in on horse-drawn carriages. Cameron was happy to reveal to Mike that his mortgage company contributed $75,000 towards the loan which was enough with the donation from the Smith Family Foundation to pay off the mortgage. With the rest of the money they saved, they were also able to start a college fund for the girls, and before heading to lunch at Tavern on the Green, Mike was presented with his new Ford F-150 super crew!
Judging:
When everyone gathered at the Big Give headquarters, Jamie started the comments by saying that they were able to accomplish brilliant things for their 2 families but that the divide with Rachael was obvious. Tony went on to say that he was pleased that they were still able to pull off the big reveals even with the tension, that they should have let it go. Malaak added that it wasn't just Rachael's fault, the rest of the team should have let their issues go as well.
Contestant Eliminated: Rachael
