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In a recent Mega Millions lottery drawing in the United States, Mike Weirsky from New Jersey was fortunate enough to win a whopping $273 million jackpot.
According to ABC News, Weirsky's winning lottery ticket almost slipped through his fingers but was luckily retrieved by a kind stranger, leading to his jackpot victory.
Weirsky, from Alpha, New Jersey, shared that one morning, he purchased a $10 lottery ticket at QuickChek in Phillipsburg. He casually put the ticket down, intending to collect the remaining change. Engrossed in checking his phone, he left without the lottery ticket, forgetting it behind.
Upon realizing his mistake the next evening, he returned to the store. Fortunately, a stranger had found the forgotten tickets and handed them over to the store clerk, who kept them in a drawer, waiting for Weirsky to return.
Back home, Weirsky placed the lottery tickets on a coffee table to ensure he wouldn't lose them. After two nights, the lottery results were announced. He checked the numbers on his ticket and was astonished to discover that he had won.
"Go, go, go." When he shared the news of his win with his mother, she thought he was joking. He sat down and stared at the television for a while, still unable to believe it was true.
The Fortunes of a Down-and-Out Transformed into a Multimillionaire
From the moment the stranger picked up those forgotten lottery tickets, Weirsky's destiny underwent a tremendous change.
Weirsky mentioned that he and his wife had been living in a camper, moving between states, but they recently got divorced. Before the divorce, his wife worked while he stayed at home doing household chores.
"(Winning) is going to change everything because I was unemployed," Weirsky said at a press conference.
For about a year, he had been actively seeking employment. Whenever he had some money, he would buy lottery tickets—$20 worth per week when he could afford it and none when he couldn't.
In the two weeks leading up to his win, he resumed buying lottery tickets.
"Buying for so many years, I can't believe it's 'my turn' this time," he remarked.
Weirsky plans to take the lump sum payout of $162.5 million, receiving a check for that amount. His first purchase will be a new pickup truck.
"The truck I've wanted for a long time, and now I can finally get it," Weirsky said.
Afterward, he intends to consult with lawyers before deciding how to use the money. However, he hopes to take his entire family on a vacation to "sit back and enjoy."
Some relatives and friends have been asking if he plans to invest in a business, but he mentioned that he doesn't see himself as having the business acumen. Nevertheless, he remains open to others' suggestions and his own choices.
"When the money is in my account, then I'll believe it's real," he expressed, still feeling a bit "shocked."
According to a New Jersey lottery official, QuickChek, the store that sold the winning ticket to Weirsky, will receive a reward of $30,000.
Meanwhile, Weirsky hopes to find the "good Samaritan" who retrieved his lottery tickets and express gratitude to them. |
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Post time 28-1-2024 06:19:51