$7,490,133.87

Props to the kids for setting a new record for dollars raised topping last years number by $800,000.

The total is unveiled to the dancers at the end of the marathon when the cards in the above photo are slowly raised from right to left – thus the million dollar digit is the last to be shown. Usually, everyone has a pretty good idea what the last figure is so it’s not really a shock.

This year was different.

There was a real concern that THON wouldn’t be able to top last year’s $6.6 million number. In fact, a lot of people didn’t even think they’d be able to make it to $6M. When the 490,000 number was displayed, I’m sure that most people thought that they had probably come up short. I’m sure that some even thought that the last number would be a five. When the seven was lifted up the place went absolutely bonkers. No one expected a dollar figure that high.

I’ll post video of that moment when I can find some.

Here’s the video:


 

 

Shot of the dance floor with an hour remaining: