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Student lives in raft for 10 days, wins $10,000

AUSTELL, Ga. — Congratulations to Imani Bethel. She lived in a raft inside Hurricane Harbor at Six Flags Over Georgia for 10 days, outlasted three other strangers and won $10,000.

Six Flags teamed up with Power 96.1 for the Raft Challenge. The premise was a simple one: four strangers board a raft in the recently opened Calypso Bay inside Hurricane Harbor. The one who could stay on the raft the longest would win. The contestants were given restroom and dining breaks every six hours. At night, the contestants had to either sleep in it or next to it, as long as they maintained contact with the raft.

“I can’t believe that I won,” Bethel said. “All it takes is patience and perseverance if you put your mind to it, whether it’s school or living in a raft.”

Bethel and her fellow contestants boarded the raft on Friday, June 20. The competition ended on June 30 when the final competitor lost contact with the raft overnight.

"I'm feeling really good," Bethel said. "It's good to be off the raft. It's good to win $10,000."

Cassie Cantrell was the first competitor eliminated. She accidentally let go of the raft while standing next to it the first weekend. Kevin Queen was the second competitor eliminated. He voluntarily let go after his daughter asked him to go ride rides with her in the park. Mark Daley was the third and final competitor.

Bethel, who is a pre-nursing student at Georgia State University, said she is going to use the money to pay for her education.

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