I love when you write in, and I especially love this letter
from two sisters who live just outside of Philadelphia.
They wrote and said, "Dear--
Hello, Ellen.
Thank you for being such an inspirational and courageous
soul.
Growing up watching your show has truly
shaped our way of thinking, and because of you, we
have learned that laughter is truly the best remedy.
You have blessed our lives more than words can explain,
and your generous acts of kindness and amazing dance
moves are something we aspire to."
All right.
"I would be-- it would be a dream
come true to meet you and personally thank you.
Funny fact, we have never traveled on an airplane but,
trust me, Ellen, if we had the chance
to see you in Burbank, California, we will fly.
We love you.
Sincerely, Samantha and Elvelyna."
And they are back stage right now,
and they think they're here to do a promo.
So let's listen in and see what's happening with them.
All I can say, she means the world to me
ever since I was young.
My sister and I, we both grew up watching the Ellen show,
and it's a tradition that we still
do it even to this day and--
All right.
I'm going to surprise them right now.
--just that hour a day at 3 o'clock, I know I can put
on the TV and see Ellen and be so--
That's so sweet of you.
So you just like-- you just watch me?
[SCREAMING]
An hour?
What were you saying, so the hour a day you
would just watch me?
That's so sweet.
All right.
What?
Hi.
You're so close.
You're back stage.
Why don't you come out here?
[SCREAMING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[AUDIENCE CHEERING]
Oh, my gosh.
Hi.
Oh, my gosh.
Hi.
I love you.
Come on.
Sit down.
Hi.
Oh, my gosh.
Hi.
Oh, my gosh.
How are you doing?
Hi, Ellen.
Seems like y'all need tissues.
Yes.
Hi.
Oh, my--
Are you Samantha?
Elvelyna?
Yes.
Hi.
How are you?
Fine.
You were just hanging out backstage?
Yes.
Yeah.
We thought we were shooting a promo shoot.
Yeah.
Well--
[INAUDIBLE]
--while you were here, we just thought maybe we would just,
you know, talk to you while you're there.
I can't believe this is Ellen.
Yeah.
Oh, my gosh.
Yes.
Hi.
So you flew in.
This was your first time flying.
Correct.
Tell me how it was.
Oh, my gosh, we've never been on an airplane, Ellen.
I'm 28 years old.
And for this to be our first time to meet you,
it means the world.
We didn't know what to expect.
We didn't even know what we could or could not even bring
in the air on the airplane.
Very little.
So, yeah.
Yeah.
We had to do research.
We got this big gallon of water bottle,
because they said we could fill up water
but we couldn't bring extra water bottles.
Yeah.
No.
So we literally had a big jug with us.
A huge jug.
Her jug was bigger than mine.
Yeah.
Wow.
All right.
So when we called you initially, I
heard that you didn't trust that it was us,
you thought we were a collection agency.
I did.
Oh, my gosh.
We were watching your show, and then
I saw Burbank, California, and I'm like, oh, my gosh, Lena,
it's definitely student loans.
I know it.
And then we heard the machine, and then when somebody
from your backstage--
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
--because I've always written to your show for many years.
And, finally, to be contacted, I was just shocked.
Yeah.
Well, that we called you.
Yeah, you did.
So-- so you wrote about a lot of different things,
but you said your parents were your biggest inspiration.
Tell me about your parents.
Yes.
Well, our parents, I mean, I have
to say our parents are such hard working people,
even though I'm 25, she's 28 and, you know,
we just graduated with our master's degree.
We did it together and still living--
[AUDIENCE CLAPS AND CHEERS]
Thank you.
One year-- it's a one year accelerated program.
And, you know, our parents, they have always
tell us to shoot for the stars.
They always supported us no matter how tough times were.
And we just always wanted to just give them the world.
And, you know, we know we can never repay them,
but, you know, our parents are so patient with us,
so supportive, and they, you know,
they want us to be the best that we can be.
And we just-- we love them so much.
And I know that you're going through hard times,
they're going through hard times,
and even with that, you're volunteering, you're doing--
you're doing things for other people.
Which is, to me, the most admirable thing.
Honestly, Ellen, besides my parents,
you also inspire us to give back.
Even though we don't have everything,
but there are some people out in the world
they don't have nothing at all.
And I feel like just giving back, help pay it forward,
I feel like we're making a difference in the lives
for people who can't even make anything happen right now.
And my parents, they also inspire
us to do the same within our communities, just give back.
Like some time we get school supplies from the Dollar
Store-- pencils, pens, books, and we donate it to--
One thing that we learned about you two,
you live outside of Philadelphia, right?
Correct.
And you've never taken a family vacation.
No.
Ever.
You've never gone anywhere.
Never.
We have not been outside of this country.
All right.
Well, it's the first time you flew, too.
Yeah.
When I was a little girl, I didn't--
I'd also-- and I had only taken one vacation
and it was here to this studio.
And we took a train here, and so-- and it
was-- it meant everything because it
was my only vacation.
So I think everyone should at least have one vacation.
So Shutterfly wants you and your parents
to have your first family vacation.
They're going to fly you anywhere
in the world you want to go.
[SCREAMS]
Anywhere.
Wherever you want to go.
All right.
Oh, my gosh.
All right.
Thank you, Ellen.
Also, we know that your student loans are a huge burden to you
and your parents, so Shutterfly wants
you to celebrate this moment and give you a check for $25,000.
[SCREAMS]
Oh, my gosh.
[AUDIENCE CHEERING AND CLAPPING]