Recently completing her battle with breast cancer, 75-year-old Donna Osborne of Pennsylvania was given another cause for celebration – she won a prodigious $5 million on a scratch-off lottery ticket. Little did the humble resident of Lancaster County know that her change of travel plans that day would culminate in the windfall of a lifetime.
In June, Osborne found herself on her way home from an airport that had tested her patience with repeated flight delays, prompting her decision to put off her travels. A detour led her to a gas station where she casually purchased the lottery ticket that would later turn her life around. The elated grandmother was en route to Florida with her daughter to visit family when the aforementioned disruption to her itinerary happened.
Reflecting on the incident, Osborne replayed the conditions that had favored her win. “My flight was delayed so many times, I decided to go home. My daughter stayed and flew to Florida,” she shared, adding, “If I didn’t leave the airport, I would have never bought that ticket.”
The incredulous moment unfolded in the gas station’s parking lot where Osborne discovered she had won the lottery. “I could not believe my eyes!” she exclaimed, recalling her initial disbelief. She rushed back into the store to confirm the unexpected news, perplexing the store clerk with her request to verify if the scratch-off jackpot amount was genuine or not. The validation brought Osborne a step closer to believing her destiny.
When Osborne relayed the surprising news to her daughter, it was met with initial skepticism. However, Osborne held her ground, confirming the reality that was slowly sinking in.
As a newly minted millionaire, Osborne shared some preliminary plans for her unexpected wealth during a conversation with Pennsylvania Lottery officials. Despite the windfall, she intends to stay busy and keep working. “I don’t know what I’d do with myself, I have to keep moving,” she confessed.
On her future plans, the Pennsylvania woman, who’s also a great grandmother, divulged a keen interest to travel. She harbors a hope to embark on an Alaskan adventure with her newfound fortune, which she also expressed intent to invest.
Details of her actual winnings after taxes and formalities remain undisclosed by the lottery officials. However, there’s no doubt that Donna Osborne, the incredibly lucky woman who defeated cancer and struck gold on the same day, is in for the journey of her lifetime.
