A Canadian woman won a $60 million jackpot using numbers from a dream her husband had 20 years ago.
Deng Pravatoudom, 57, played the digits for the last two decades — and it finally paid off last month, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) said in a news release on Monday.
“I started to cry,” Pravatoudom said of hearing the good news.
“I have always prayed for a blessing that my family would be taken care of!”
The grandmother of two, who was laid off last spring amid the coronavirus pandemic, said she was grateful for the cash infusion.
“My husband and I have worked long hours as general laborers for over 40 years, trying to save what we could for our family…,” she said.
“This money will certainly help make our lives much easier.”
As an immigrant from Laos who came to Canada with her 14 siblings in 1980, Pravatoudom said that winning the jackpot had been beyond her wildest dreams.
“My family was sponsored by a local church and because we had nothing, I am thankful for the great support they provided us over the years,” Pravatoudom said.
The couple’s two kids were relieved when they heard about the big win.
“They said, ‘Mom and Dad you have worked so hard for 40 years and made many sacrifices, so you deserve this happiness!’” Pravatoudom recalled.
She and her hubby plan to move out of their apartment and buy a house with the winnings, as well as pay off some bills.
Pravatoudom also wants to travel: to Texas, Hawaii and in Europe.
“Except for when I came to Canada from Laos, I have never really traveled,” she said. “I am excited to see the world.”