Canadian teen who emptied her piggy bank to help Haiti earthquake victims wins $48MILLION in lottery

An 18-year-old girl who emptied her savings as a child to send cash to earthquake victims has won a C$48 million ($35.8 million) lottery prize.

Juliette Lamour, who bought her first lottery ticket after her grandfather suggested it was a good way to celebrate turning 18, was stunned when she saw if she had won.

Not knowing which ticket to buy, she asked her father on the phone and he told her to choose a QuickPick.

It could all be the result of good karma for Lamour, and his sister, Sophie, after they emptied their piggy banks as children to send C$37 to victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

But the Algoma University student wants to keep up the good works and said she’s grateful the money allows her to finish her medical school debt-free.

When she was five years old, Lamour used her savings to send money through the Canadian Red Cross to earthquake victims in Haiti.

The teenager told Global News: ‘I just turned 18 and my grandfather suggested that I buy a lottery ticket for fun.

‘When I went to the store, I wasn’t sure what to order because I had never bought a ticket before, so I called my dad, who told me to buy a LOTTO 6-49 Quick Pick.

‘I still can’t believe I won the Gold Ball jackpot on my first lottery ticket!’

He said he had forgotten he had even bought the ticket, but checked the app after colleagues told him the winning numbers were bought in Sault Ste Marie.

When her phone lit up with ‘Big Winner’, she knew her life had changed.

‘My colleague fell to his knees in disbelief. He was yelling, in fact the whole world was yelling, that I won 48 million Canadian dollars!’

The 18-year-old’s first call was to her mother, who at first did not believe she had won the money.

The lottery said she was the first 18-year-old to win such a large sum. She checked her ticket on the app after her colleagues said the winner came from her area.

Lamour says he will carefully invest the money under the guidance of his father, financial adviser Kevin, but said his plans for the near future have not changed.

Given that the sisters had saved an impressive C$61.38 to donate to the Canadian Red Cross when Ms. Lamour was just five years old, it seems unlikely that she would have financial problems with her winnings.

“I have to think about it,” the conscientious teen said when her victory was announced on February 3.

‘We’re definitely going to keep friends and family in mind. And tonight, I’m still a college student, so I plan to finish my biology report.

After her studies, she wants to practice medicine in Northern Ontario, before exploring the world with her family.

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation confirmed that while there have been other 18-year-old winners, no one had won as much as Juliette.