Michael J. Weirsky expresses gratitude for the honesty of a Good Samaritan.
Michael J. Weirsky, an unemployed resident of New Jersey, has won a staggering $273 million Mega Millions jackpot after a stranger returned the winning ticket he accidentally left behind at a shop. The incident occurred shortly before the lottery draw, when Weirsky misplaced two tickets at a QuickChek in Phillipsburg while distracted by his cellphone.
After realising he had lost the tickets, Weirsky spent hours searching his home in Alpha, New Jersey, convinced that they were somewhere inside. It wasn’t until the following day that he thought to ask the shop assistant if anyone had turned them in. To his relief, she confirmed that a customer had handed in the tickets, and after verifying the details, she returned them to him just in time for the draw that evening.
“I was very thankful there was an honest person out there because I thought it was gone,” Weirsky remarked.
However, it wasn’t until two days later, amidst a snowstorm, that he discovered he was the jackpot winner. A friend of his mother informed him that a mutual acquaintance, who had bought a ticket at the same store, believed they had won. Weirsky then checked his tickets with a lottery app on his phone, turning to his mother in disbelief after confirming his win.
“I said to my mother, ‘Hey, that [man] just said I was the jackpot winner,’” he recalled. “And she was like, ‘What’s that mean?’”
After a moment of shock, he revealed to her, “I won $273 million,” prompting her astonished response, “Get the hell out of here.”
Following the initial shock, Weirsky calmly watched TV for another half-hour before deciding to verify the ticket at a nearby store. The scan confirmed his win.
The 15-year unemployed individual, who had been a stay-at-home husband and moved frequently for his ex-wife’s job until their marriage ended in October, now plans to take his time exploring new opportunities. He is considering starting a business or working part-time with a friend who is a handyman.
“I am just going to sit back and enjoy it,” he said.
Weirsky opted for a lump sum payment of $162.5 million instead of instalments. His immediate plans include purchasing a new pickup truck and seeking advice from his lawyer on managing his newfound wealth.
James Carey, the acting executive director of the New Jersey Lottery, noted the importance of the stranger’s act of returning the winning ticket, which also earned the store a $30,000 prize for selling it. He emphasised the need for lottery players to sign their tickets immediately upon purchase to avoid disputes over ownership.
Weirsky expressed his heartfelt gratitude towards the anonymous individual who returned his ticket and hopes to track them down to offer a token of thanks. “I’ve got to find him and thank him,” he said, adding he would keep the reward private.
