Pennsylvania Grandma Wins $1M Scratch-Off Prize 2 Weeks Before Husband's Death: 'Bittersweet'
"I kept telling him, ‘One of these days I’m going to hit the million!,'" said Karen Coffman
A Pennsylvania grandma who promised her husband she would one day win the lottery struck a jackpot just weeks before his death.
Karen Coffman, 61, was awarded the $1 million lottery prize on Thursday, June 13, after winning a scratch-off ticket in March, according to the Pennsylvania Lottery.
But the win is "bittersweet,” according to Coffman, who told officials that her husband had a brain tumor and died two weeks after she won.
"I kept telling him, ‘One of these days I’m going to hit the million!’ When I told him about this prize, he thought I was lying to him,” she said.
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Coffman shared that she couldn't even believe she won at first, according to lottery officials.
“I thought, ‘This can’t be right!’ she said. "The guy working there said, ‘What’s wrong?’ I said, ‘Look!’ He starts counting the zeroes and we then just started jumping up and down, hugging. When I got home, I was shaking.”
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Following Coffman’s win, Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne presented her with a commemorative check, saying, “We’re thrilled to present Karen with a commemorative check for $1 million as we celebrate her winning this Scratch-Off prize."
He added, “Her win is also a reminder that the Pennsylvanian Lottery funds a number of programs for older Pennsylvanians that support them and help them lead fulfilling lives."
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Apparently Coffman has a lucky streak, revealing to the PA Lottery that she previously won thousands of dollars off another scratch-off.
She said, “About 14 years ago, I won $65,000 on a Scratch-Off ticket that I purchased at the same location!”
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The retiree told the PA Lottery that after she invests, she plans to use the rest to escape the cold Pennsylvania winters and head to sunny Florida. “I’m so done with the snow!” she added.
Surrounded by her daughter and grandchildren, Coffman told ABC affiliate WTAE that she is also hoping to cross off items from her bucket list with her grandkids, like Disney World then deep-sea fishing.
“[Fishing] was me and the husband's thing. Then, I got my grandson started on it, and he fishes, and I said, 'let's go deep-sea fishing,'" Coffman said.
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