New Jersey Man Wins $1M Lottery After Breaking Hip to Buy Ticket
A New Jersey man has made headlines for winning a $1 million lottery prize after breaking his hip to buy a ticket for the same jackpot.
Earl Livingston from Blackwood, New Jersey, was walking to a local store to pick up a lottery ticket on Tuesday (October 23) when he fell and broke his hip.
The 87-year-old man was taken to Jefferson Stratford Hospital where he was treated and shared his story with the hospital’s staff members.
According to reports, Livingstone told staff he was disappointed he couldn’t get a ticket for the Mega Millions Jackpot, so a physician’s assistant invited Livingston to join the hospital’s lottery pool with 141 other staff members.
The Lottery Pool
Surprisingly, the pool included a winning $1 million Mega Millions ticket which had been purchased in Lindenwold, New Jersey, and had been claimed by Livingston, making him the hospital’s newest millionaire.
In an interview with NBC 10, Livingston’s niece Bobbie Mickle said: “He told them he was on his way to buy a lottery ticket and he was disappointed he didn’t get it. So they said, ‘Why don’t you go in with us? We’re also buying a lottery ticket.’
“I didn’t believe him when I got here. I thought he was confused, maybe from pain meds. And then the staff came into the room and they were saying congratulations. And I was like, ‘Wow, he really did win.'”
According to NBC, Livingston will need a hip replacement but says he’s thankful for being part of the lottery pool. Speaking to the news channel, the 87-year-old said: “I want to thank everybody. I appreciate very much and God bless you and have a happy, happy life!”
The news comes after a Michigan couple won a $4 million jackpot in the Super Raffle game of the Michigan Lottery.