Milton couple’s $55M lottery win ‘a dream come true’

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A Milton couple who won $55 million say they hope things don’t change too much and they remain “regular people.”

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Laurene Shail and Doltan Hawk, who have been playing the lottery together for 25 years, won the huge windfall in the Lotto Max jackpot win from the June 14 draw.

While they want to buy a new dream home and fishing boat, Shail said the ultimate plan is to take care of family.

“We want them to feel the joy with us,” she told OLG. “They deserve it as much as we do. They deserve to not have to work multiple jobs and can now spend more time together as a family, which is how it should be.”

The couple say they look forward to their future plus some travelling.

“It is a dream come true to be able to help our family,” Shail said. “We are so happy and our hearts are full. I have always wanted to visit Italy and Australia. I look forward to exploring the world, with our family.”

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Hawk said he checked their ticket Saturday morning after the draw using the OLG app.

“I didn’t know what I was seeing, so I called out for Laurene,” he told OLG. “I told her to pull out her phone and check the ticket herself. I was checking to see the number of winning tickets and said, ‘It can’t be!’ I didn’t know what to do.”

Shail recalled to OLG: “I had one foot in the shower when I heard Doltan yelling. I thought maybe something had happened to him. He was shaking from head to toe, and I asked him, ‘Are you okay?’ He asked me to check the ticket and ran to get my glasses. Then I thought he was pranking me. I put on my glasses and thought ‘This can’t be real! This can’t be happening to us!’”

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The couple decided to head to the store to have their ticket validated in what would become a life changing moment.

“The lottery terminal froze, and I noticed the store clerk was shaking,” said Hawk to OLG.A “Next thing we knew, OLG was calling to talk to us. It was then that reality set in. We had the winning ticket.”

Added Shail to OLG: “It was surreal. I was in shock, shaking, and my mouth was so dry. The store clerk was incredibly kind and brought me a bottle of water.”

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Shail says the next stop was family.

“We went straight to my mom’s, and she couldn’t believe it, placing her hands over her face when we told her. We turned on the TV to show her the winning ticket had been sold in Milton and while she was certainly shocked, she was happy beyond words for us.”

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Added Hawk: “When we told our family, they looked at us like we had two heads. We have family all over the province and have had some fun conversations with even more special moments to come, the kind of moments that will fill my heart for a lifetime.”

The couple also officially retired and Shail’s supervisor was surprised to learn her career in logistics was ending abruptly and asked her if she had won the lottery.

“I couldn’t help myself,” she smiled. “My answer was ‘Yes, I did!’”

Added Hawk:”When you grow up with nothing, and work hard for everything you have, a win like this is incredible.” We will still be the same people. This win will not change us.”

“I’m still going to be quiet, shy Laurene. I’ll just have the biggest smile on my face,” Shail concluded.

The winning ticket was bought at Convenience 4 U on Wilson Drive in Milton.

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