CARLY Gregorich recently made waves on the popular game show Deal Or No Deal, hosted by Grant Denyer, walking away with a remarkable $68,000. In an interview with The South Gippsland Sentinel-Times, Carly shared her thrilling journey from application to the big stage.
Carly revealed that her selection for the show involved a competitive application process, which included a series of auditions. During the game, Carly faced a few hurdles but found strength in audience support, which played a crucial role in her decision-making process. “At first, I was really unsure,” she admitted. “But as I engaged with the audience, I felt more confident.”
Ultimately, Carly opted for the $68,000 deal, a choice she feels was right despite the emotional high of having only two big cases left – $40,000 in one, and $100,000 in the other. “I didn’t have a pre-planned strategy for the game, but I did decide to go with a different number than expected – I went with my partners birthday.”
As Carly reflected on the emotional whirlwind of the game, she shared that she felt anxious yet excited. “In the end my partner Damien and I made the decision to take the deal.”
“We knew that the financial impact of that amount of money would help us plan for the future.”
Carly and Damien hadn’t shared the news with her parents – due to the possibility of the episode not airing, but the emotional challenge of keeping the news from Carly’s Inverloch family meant that she couldn’t wait to see their reactions.
With the combined nerves, excitement, and ultimately, success, Carly said her family were all sitting down to watch the episode air last night (Monday, October 14) at 6:00pm.
Carly shared that now she knew the episode was going to air, her and Damien were looking forward to planning for the future.
Carly has dedicated nearly a decade of her life to helping the most vulnerable members of her community. As a guide dog trainer, she has worked with children with autism, veterans suffering from PTSD, and individuals with mobility issues. “I trained my dog, Hendrix, to be a therapy dog, and together we help children at risk of disengaging from learning, often due to trauma,” she explained. “The work I do is incredibly humbling. The abilities of assistance and therapy dogs never cease to amaze me.”
Carly’s career path began while she was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in science. She volunteered at wildlife sanctuaries and animal shelters, eventually landing a position as a kennel attendant with a guide dog organization. This led to a coveted Guide Dog Mobility Instructor traineeship, a rigorous four-year program that Carly completed, paving the way for a six-year career in the field.
Her love for animals extends beyond Australia; Carly has spent significant time in Africa, living in South Africa in 2015 while working on her Honor’s thesis on elephant movement ecology. She returned in 2017 to conduct research on Mozambican wildlife in Johannesburg.
Carly's experience on Deal or No Deal marks her third appearance on the show, having previously served as a briefcase holder twice. “I was eager to win the whole $100,000, I won’t lie,” she admitted. She and her partner enjoy wakeboarding at Eildon and have always dreamed of owning a wake boat. “Those are quite pricey these days!” she added with a laugh.
Despite their aspirations for a wake boat, Carly and Damien are still discussing plans to use her winnings to purchase their new home, with hopes of expanding their family in the near future.
As Carly prepared for the screening party, she is excited to finally share her experience with her family, who have been avid viewers of the show. “I can’t wait to see their reactions!” she said, looking forward to celebrating this significant milestone in her life.