The past few days have been a whirlwind for Patricia Waight and Thelma Palacio, the two friends and co-workers that turned in American fugitive Niles Scott. They flew to Chicago on Tuesday as guests of talk show queen Oprah Winfrey. Yesterday they appeared in front of hundreds of million of television viewers on the Oprah show and then this morning they were back on a plane to Belize. 7NEWS was at the airport to meet these women who had 15 seconds of fame before one of the largest television audiences in the world.
Keith Swift Reporting,
If you were given a pat on the back by Oprah Winfrey in front of tens of millions of television viewers worldwide how would you feel? Well today Thelma Palacio and Patricia Waight seemed calm, collected, and even reserved when they returned home. Palacio made it seem like the trip to Chicago to tape the show was just another day at work.
Thelma Palacio,
"It was good."
Keith Swift,
And meeting Oprah?
Thelma Palacio,
"I was quite excited and I enjoyed myself a lot."
And while she said it went well - being seen by an audience of over a hundred million isn't the biggest part of this trip. Probably the most important thing is what Oprah promised.
Clip from Oprah Winfrey Show,
"So that you both won't have to travel all the way home carrying so much money, and because this is live television and I knew everybody was going to see your faces, I did not want to present you with checks. So they are carrying the checks people. I am today going to wire transfer to your bank account (US)$50,000 into your bank accounts. So when you get home the money will be there."
That's why she says the first thing she's going to check her bank account to make sure Oprah got her money right.
Keith Swift,
Are you going to go check your bank account?
Thelma Palacio,
"Yes that's the first thing I'm going to do."
And the next thing she's going to do is secure her daughter's education.
Thelma Palacio,
"Well I am going to invest it in my daughter's education."
Palacio tells us that the US$50,000 should be tax free since it is a gift, and not winnings, which are subject to 15% tax, while gifts are exempt.
