Florida mom wins $2M lottery prize right after daughter’s last cancer treatment

Author: Gina Martinez / CBS
Published: Updated:
Scratch-offs. CBS file photo

A Florida woman had a lot to celebrate this week after scoring the $2 million top prize from a lottery scratch-off the day after her daughter’s final cancer treatment.

Geraldine Gimblet, of Lakeland, claimed her $2 million prize on Friday at the Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee, the Florida Lottery said in a news release.

She purchased her winning ticket at a Pipkin Road Beverage Castle, according to the release.

“At first the gas station clerk thought there were no tickets left, but I asked him to double check because I like the crossword games the best,” the lucky winner said. “He found the last one!”

Gimblet’s stroke of luck came the day after a major milestone for her daughter, who was battling breast cancer.

“The day before my mom bought this ticket, I rang the bell and walked out of the hospital after completing my last treatment for breast cancer,” her daughter told the lottery.

“My mom had taken out her life savings to take care of me when I was sick,” her daughter added. “I’m just so happy for her!”

Gimblet opted to receive her winnings in a one-time, lump-sum payment of $1,645,000.00, the lottery said.

The $10 crossword game features eight top prizes of $2 million and 20 second-tier prizes of $100,000.

The Pipkin Road Beverage Castle will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning ticket, the lottery said.

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