Nineteen-year-old Christian Hudson left his hometown, quit his job, slept on the streets and went all-in for a chance to win the 2015 Calgary Stampede Talent Search.
And he won the jackpot, cashing in on a $10,000 prize after taking down 11 other competitors on Saturday.
But instead of stuffing his pockets, the native of Airdrie, Alta, decided to give the prize money to a local homeless shelter.
The teen says it was his nights spent sleeping on the streets and trading stories with the city's homeless that inspired him to give back to the community.
In the week leading up to the competition, Hudson managed to find willing hosts who offered him a couch to sleep on. But one night he found himself without a place to crash and instead of heading home to Airdrie he decided to lay out a sleeping bag by the Bow River.
"(It beat) sleeping on a couch as far as interesting goes," Hudson told CTV Calgary.
"Part of it was just the appeal of adventure … creating a memory," he added.
It was that night that he met some patrons of the Calgary Drop-in and Rehab Centre who left a lasting impression on the youth.
"They gave me a bit of a tour of downtown and they told me (some) of their backstories. I had a little bit of an epiphany where a lot of them are just normal guys who fell under really unfortunate circumstances (and) tragic scenarios beyond their control," said Hudson.
It was in that moment that he vowed to himself that if he were to win the Stampede Talent Search, he would give the prize money back to the community.
"I had the fantasy run through my head: 'If I win – I didn't want to get too hopeful – but in that slim chance I should walk away with a prize, I want to distribute it," said Hudson.
And he stuck to his word. After his cover of Nina Simone's classic "Be My Husband" won over the judges on Saturday, Hudson announced that he would donate the money to the Calgary Drop-in and Rehab Centre.
"It's amazing … I have been working here for fourteen years and never have I heard of someone winning money and passing it on like that," said Alan Facey, director of finance and administration for the homeless shelter.
Facey added that other community members have been "touched" by Hudson's charity.
"There have been matching donations – people are inspired. He really set the bar high for Calgary," said Facey.
And while Hudson isn't $10,000 richer, he says he's happy to help, and is simply glad to have a story to tell.
"I guess my motto is becoming whenever faced with a crossroads … do what is going to make the best memory," he added.
With a report from CTV Calgary's Brad Macleod
