Soon-to-be Unemployed Workers Win $7 Million Lottery
They say that most lottery wins go to people who need them most, and the latest Lotto 6/49 jackpot was a clear case in point.
The winning group consisted of 18 workers from the Calgary based Smart Technologies which has decided to close its Ottawa plant.
Ten workers from the group were already given their pink slips and were fearing what the future would bring and how they were going to support their families.
Just days later, they learned that they had hit the $7 million jackpot on their lottery ticket and could each claim $400,000 - around 15 years of gross salary for each.
The group of workers consists of newlyweds, those who have been on long term disability and only came back to work after a few months, as well as parents of young children. They have been playing the lottery as a group for several years and each week, someone took the job of heading to the convenience store to check the numbers.
A Roller Coaster Ride
One of the winners said in an interview, after learning that they had won the lottery: "It's surreal. This has been nothing but a roller coaster ride."
Colin Willard was the man who checked the winning numbers and he recalled the moment when he realized that things would never be the same for him and his colleagues again.
"I was in my truck, having my coffee. And you know, everyone checks the first number and so I was looking for the 9 and I was working my way through. And I got to the last ticket we bought. I looked at it and I see the 9 and I realized everything matched."
What do the winners intend doing with their windfall?
Some will pay back debt, while others intend to relax before making a decision. Others say will trade in their trucks for newer models.
As for Colin Willard, who had been off work for 7 months due to a bad back, he can finally afford to visit a specialist and get some much needed treatment for his problem. Now that he is able to walk without any pain, he intends traveling with his wife.
