Scott and Michelle Trahan generally buy a couple of tickets for the St. Jude Dream Home giveaway every year. This year, they purchased one, and out of 12,500 tickets, it was the winning ticket.

“My wife, her caretaker and I were pulling up to Southern Spice to watch the McNeese Homecoming Parade when I got a call from my Aunt Olga Mudd,” Trahan said. “When she told me that I won the St. Jude Dream House I thought she was pulling my leg.”

Then Trahan’s phone started blowing up. One of the calls was from area code 225 and the message said, “Pick up your phone Mr. Scott. I need to talk to you. Are you available to come to the house?”

“I hadn’t gotten Michelle out of the van yet, so we took off to Sallier Street,” Trahan said.

The home valued at $615,000 is in the Terre Sainte neighborhood off Sallier. The builder of the three-bedroom, 2.5-bath, 2,700 square-foot home is LaRoque Homes. Jenny Canter of LaRocue Interiors was the lead designer. Custom woodwork is by Rock Creek Woodworks. The home features a custom wallpaper design from Gyaneshwari Dave.

Thursday, Oct. 29, was the first time they saw the house.

“We were just in awe, Michelle said. “We just couldn’t believe it.”

The screened-in patio was her favorite.

Yes, there were tears.

Michelle had just finished a nine-day novena to St. Jude, according to Scott. The house winner was announced on the last day of praying, on the feast of St. Jude. For the uninitiated, the word novena comes from the word novena, which means nine. St. Jude is known as the patron saint of desperate causes.

The prayer was not to win the house that she describes as “extraordinary.” That thought never crossed her mind.

The Trahans live in the country and always have. Michelle said they are content.

The St. Jude representatives are giving the Trahans ample time to consider ownership.

“It’s a blessing,” don’t get me wrong,” she said. “I am glad it was a good turn out. St. Jude has helped so many children and people we’ve known. Even though I am like I am, we’ve never had to deal with what parents of children who have taken their child to St. Jude have had to deal with. We’ve never lost a child.

Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, housing or food.

“We never know what God has in store for us,” Michelle said. “We have our faith, we have it all.”

The Trahans wanted everyone who texted and called to offer their joy and congratulations how much it was appreciated.