'Your heart just melts': Telemiracle 41 raises more than $5 million

Telemiracle 41 raises more than $5 million The final tally is in – and Telemiracle 41 raised more than $5 million. Mark Villani reports.

Canada’s biggest telethon is in the books for another year, with Saskatchewan residents ringing those phones for the 41st annual Telemiracle in Saskatoon.

The event raises money to support people in need of special assistance – like Tiernan Huber, who was born with spina-bifida.

“Tiernan is probably one of the most good-hearted guys that just wants the world to be a better place,” said Huber’s educational assistant Kimberly van Buskirk. “Telemiracle is the place he wants to show that.”

Van Buskirk has been working with Huber, and coming to Telemiracle with him, for the past four years. The telethon gave Huber his wheelchair when he was 20 months old.

“They are awesome,” he said.

Telemiracle’s support for Huber didn’t end there.

“They even helped Tiernan fund for his van that he uses for his wheelchair to get around,” van Buskirk said. “We think that it’s just a spectacular time to spend together and to know we’re doing this for such a great cause.”

That cause inspired Cheryl Toll to start volunteering at Telemiracle 13.

“Your heart just melts and there are a lot of tears,” Toll said. “The happiness and the joy that they receive, it’s just nice to see that it means a lot to them.”

All of the money raised stays in Saskatchewan to support more than 1,000 grant applications each year.

“It’s a rising need,” said Adam Logue, PR chair for Telemiracle 41. “Every year we seem to be getting more and more applications, so our only goal is to get enough.”

Telemiracle 41 raised $5,000,274.

Based on a report by CTV's Mark Villani