Six contestants exit coffins as winners at Great America
Six people emerged from their coffins Sunday night - as winners of a spooky contest at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee.
Great America's 30-hour coffin challenge featured participants lying in caskets from 1 p.m. Saturday until 7 p.m. Sunday. The contestants received a six-minute bathroom break per hour, along with periodic time to eat sitting up in the coffin and other allowances.
All six contestants won $300, two 2019 gold season passes to Great America, two express haunted house wrist bands, their wooden coffin and a shot at being in a parade. Some joked before entering the coffins Saturday that would be earning $10 an hour to do nothing.
Local winners included Gurnee cemetery employee Wayne Allison, Park Ridge embalmer Nathan Tamayo and hearse enthusiast Lynn Johansen of Franklin Park. The other champions were teacher and paranormal investigator Allison Jornlin of Milwaukee, DeKalb resident Rachael West, who is studying to become a funeral director, and Michael J. Finn of Madison, Wisconsin, whom Great America listed as a coffin dweller claiming to be part zombie, part vampire.
Nearly 3,000 applicants submitted essays to Great America wanting to be in the 30-hour coffin challenge.