Catching Up With the Winner of HGTV Dream Home 2007

On March 18, Robert O'Neill Sr. found out he was the grand prize winner of the $2.5 million HGTV Dream Home 2007 Giveaway. He recently had a chance to answer some questions about what life's been like since he won the home in Winter Park, Colo., a new GMC Acadia crossover and $250,000 in cash from LendingTree.com.

What was your first thought when Joan popped in at the restaurant in Johnson City, Tenn., during the live giveaway special?
I thought Bob Jr. was pulling a wedding re-enactment at the restaurant where we had our rehearsal dinner the night before our wedding. When I saw the lights, I was waiting for a dancing girl, but it was my "new best friend," Joan Steffend.

What did you think about the trip to Colorado?
Scripps Networks really knows how to treat a winner. The whole weekend in Winter Park, Colo., was about US, US AND US! Now I know what royalty feels like. We were surrounded the whole weekend by positive, high-energy people.

Was the HGTV Dream Home everything you expected?
The Dream Home was more than I expected. It was just beautiful. The flooring got me first, then the open ceilings in the rooms. Everything was so color coordinated and the fireplaces made the home complete. The pictures do it no justice.

No one's exactly sure how Lorie got the keys to the snowcat.

Robert in his favorite room of HGTV Dream Home 2007, the downstairs Media Room.

After all the HGTV Dream Home excitement, the newlyweds slipped off to Aruba for a little rest and relaxation.

What was your favorite feature of the home?
The media room was the place for me. With the refrigerator, dishwasher, TV (or should I say SUPER TV?), I could live there indefinitely. Lorie fell in love with the master bathroom and bedroom. She said the kitchen was my work place.

What are your plans?
We have invested the cash for next April 15. Lorie will be the proud driver of the new GMC. I love all the safety features the truck has for her. The Dream Home is on the market for sale. We decided to go forward with our blueprints and complete the home we had intended to build just prior to the "ambush" weekend.

What was the trip to Chicago and appearing on the Oprah Winfrey Show like?
Can you say hustle and bustle and then some? We could not leave Charlotte, N.C., that Wednesday due to thunderstorms in the Chicago area. I had hoped to have dinner with some of Lorie's family in Chicago that evening, but the weather was against us. Arriving later than expected due to more storms Thursday morning, Oprah's people treated us like gold. I had 10 minutes to change from the clothes I had been wearing for two days while they made up Lorie in the make-up room. I told everyone that if I didn't shave, Oprah would have thought I was Tom Cruise on the show. Hah!

What has changed about your life since winning the grand prize in the HGTV Dream Home 2007 Giveaway?
Things haven't changed much except being able to think about other property we had looked at that was a little out of our reach. We will still go out looking at open houses till we finally settle in our own home. We now have the freedom to travel a little more extensively in the future, which is something I have always loved to do.

I was deeply touched by the HGTV Dream Home blog page where people that we have never met were so happy for us. There were so many well-wishers and supporters from around the United States that wrote such supportive messages. We all have problems each and every day, but for some reason I was blessed with this special prize. I openly thank the Lord for granting us such a wonderful gift and feel that my departed Melanie had a hand in that also. She left wishing me to be happy in my life without her. I didn't think that would ever happen. My strength today is in my rosary and my love of Jesus. I want to say thank you from Lorie and myself for all of the wonderful people we came in contact with during the busy week. From all the sponsors to the busy working staff of Scripps Network, each and every one of you were special and we are grateful for knowing all of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.