Chicago man credits mom with $2.5 million lottery win

May 9, 2014, 4:21 pm (9 comments)

Illinois Lottery

A Chicago man is planning a special Mother's Day for his mom after she bought a lottery ticket for him that wound up being worth $2.5 million.

Daniel Stojak, 46, of Chicago, said his mother, Shirley, 77, also of Chicago, frequently buys him tickets at the Jewel-Osco in Niles where she has worked as a cashier for about 15 years.

Though Shirley Stojak had won some money before playing the lottery — the most was $10,000 — this April 1 was special.

That day, she bought a $10 instant ticket and scratched it off to reveal her son had won $2.5 million.

"The whole body started to go," she said at a news conference Thursday, where lottery officials presented her and her son with a ceremonial oversized check. "I couldn't stop shaking. I always dreamed it could happen, but I never thought it would happen to me."

Stojak called her son, who was coming to pick her up at work, to give him the news.

Daniel Stojak said that at first, he thought she was playing an April Fools' Day joke on him. Once it sank in, he said, he also was unnerved.

"I was a little shocked," he said. "I didn't sleep for a few days."

Daniel Stojak, a project manager for a home restoration company in Lincolnwood, said his plans for the money include going on vacation, doing some home repair and maybe getting a new car.

And, of course, planning a Mother's Day to remember.

"She's making a list, I'm sure," he said.

Daniel Stojak said he originally planned to take his mom to a riverboat to gamble. That's still on the Mother's Day agenda, though the day now also will include dinner and a trip to the jewelry store for a diamond tennis bracelet and possibly a ring.

"Anything I want," she said.

He chose the cash option of $1.5 million, which is before taxes are withheld. The Jewel-Osco store got a $25,000 bonus for selling the ticket.

Daniel Stojak said he offered to pay for his mom to retire.

"I told her she could quit working," he said, but "I don't think she wants to."

With news of her apparent luck spreading, Shirley Stojak said, now everyone wants her to buy tickets for them.

"They come up and rub me," she joked. "They say, 'I need your luck.'"

Chicago Triibune

Comments

LottoMetro's avatarLottoMetro

"That day, she bought a $10 instant ticket and scratched it off to reveal her son had won $2.5 million."

If she bought it for her son, why did she scratch it off? Seems like that would be a buzzkill, someone else scratching off my tickets. LOL

mrcraft's avatarmrcraft

I thought that was weird too.

ThatScaryChick's avatarThatScaryChick

Quote: Originally posted by LottoMetro on May 9, 2014

"That day, she bought a $10 instant ticket and scratched it off to reveal her son had won $2.5 million."

If she bought it for her son, why did she scratch it off? Seems like that would be a buzzkill, someone else scratching off my tickets. LOL

Well, he probably doesn't care since it seems that she gave him the winnings anyways. I don't know maybe he doesn't like scratching tickets so she does it and he keeps the prize lol

Jon D's avatarJon D

Quote: Originally posted by mrcraft on May 9, 2014

I thought that was weird too.

Makes perfect sense to me.

Just reading the story, he says he frequently has his mom buy tickets for him. Well, for draw tickets, you have to wait to find out if you're a winner. But for scratch games, there is no waiting, you can just scratch and find out instantly if you're a winner. So that's what she does for him since she's a clerk. Scratch the code and find out if it's a winner.

Maybe it's just me, I don't find the actual *act* of scratching to be fun. That's like saying you find the actual act of *waiting* for the draw to be the fun part. Nope, for me it's simple. The scratch ticket is a winner or a loser. The pesky messy scratch covering and gameplay is just in your way of finding out your results.

In fact, I find it silly why they make the higher stakes/prizes scratch games larger and more difficult to find out if you're a winner. Just make them all one size. Why waste paper on huge oversized high denomination games? For all I care, they could make all the games the size of the $1 tickets and just have one spot to scratch, with won or lose and the amount. But that's just my take on it. Wink

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

Take good care of Mama while you have her, Daniel.

Cherish every moment, every hug, every smile.

mikeintexas's avatarmikeintexas

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on May 9, 2014

Take good care of Mama while you have her, Daniel.

Cherish every moment, every hug, every smile.

Amen to that.

I'd give half the life I have left just to have my momma back for one more day.

mypiemaster's avatarmypiemaster

US FlagJust give her half, and use your portion, to throw her a mothers' day partyDrumParty

...I sincerely hope, that this is not one of those misadventures of a crooked store clerk Evil Uhh.

Saylorgirl's avatarSaylorgirl

That is a very sweet story.  Congratulations to him and may his Mama have a wonderful Mothers Day celebration.

rock_nc's avatarrock_nc

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on May 9, 2014

Take good care of Mama while you have her, Daniel.

Cherish every moment, every hug, every smile.

I Agree! My mother passed away in 1996@77 years old! Happy Mothers Day Mom! Another Angel in Heaven!

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