Father Andrew Trapp, the poker-playing-priest from St. Michael Catholic Church in Garden City Beach, S.C., didn't win the $1 million prize during the finals of the PokerStars.net Million Dollar Challenge.
But he said the finale, which is scheduled to air at 4:30 p.m. Sunday on the Fox TV network, has been called "one of the most amazing, exciting hours of game show TV ever filmed, and that's why I'm looking forward to watching it with my parish family."
Word first leaked to the New York Post that Mike Kosowski, a 21-year NYPD veteran, won the $1 million prize by defeating Trapp and poker star Daniel Negreanu, Trapp confirmed Monday afternoon.
"He ended up beating me and the other two finalists for the shot to play for the million," Trapp said. "I'm disappointed. It's been really tough the past few weeks with everybody asking how I did. I'm happy with the way things turned out. I just think it was meant for Mike to win this."
The church will hold a viewing party Sunday. The episode is worth watching because of Kosowski's inspiring story, Trapp said. It will also include a feature on St. Michael's fundraising efforts and show why the church needs a new building. A Fox film crew visited the church and taped portions of a service.
Kosowski was one of the first responders to arrive at the World Trade Center during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. His story is chronicled in the book "Never Forget: The Oral History of September 11."
"It's a really compelling show," Trapp said. "It's going to be a very emotional show because even after people see Mike knock me out, they are going to start rooting for Mike. He's a Sept. 11 hero. I think we all are going to be cheering him on, everybody across the country."
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