Retired Ottawa cop wins $1.17M in SickKids raffle

A 64-year-old retired police officer hit the jackpot when he won $1,177,408 in the SickKids Foundation’s ‘Catch the Ace’ raffle.

Robert Aikens is the latest to pick the right envelope and win big in the raffle that ended before the holiday season.

“The phone rang and I thought it was a telemarketing call so I didn’t answer at first,” said Aikens.

He picked up on the second call and was glad he did. That’s when he got the surprising news from a SickKids Foundation representative.

“I kind of went into shock,” Aiken’s said. “Somebody’s got to win but you never think it’s going to be you.”

Aiken said he already had everything he needed for his modest lifestyle. Becoming a millionaire just meant that he could give more back to the community.

“I took all the money and I put them into investments,” Aikens said. “I’ll use the interest to fund the various charities I like to.”

Those include various food banks, churches and more recently, SickKids foundation.

He calls it the ‘Galleta Fund’ and named it after his dog. The fund has already supported a number of his philanthropic endeavors, including paying off the house debts of a Costa Rican family.

“I just need a little place to live and I have a pension every month,” he said. “All this is extra cash that I don’t really need, so my plan is to give it away.”

While the majority of his winnings are going to charity, he did spend of it on a new pair of Apple AirPods and a few small gifts for his friends.

Giving more to charity

Aikens was an officer for almost 30 years and said his experience on the force helped shape his charitable donations.

“Also, just walking down the street. When I was younger, I looked at street people and thought they were a nuisance but as I’ve gotten older, I [started to realize] something put them there,” he said. “You don’t know what but they need help. That’s why I give.”

He’s also included some charities, like SickKids, into his will.

“What are you going to do with your money, right?” Aikens added.

“We are so thrilled to know this latest Progressive Jackpot has been awarded to such a wonderfully deserving person,” said SickKids Foundation CEO Jennifer Bernard.

“Robert’s generosity and desire to increase his giving to community causes that he holds dear is a testament to his character.”

Half of all tickets sales of SickKids Foundation’s ‘Catch the Ace’ raffle goes to SickKids Foundation. The same amount was raised to help fund priority needs within the hospital.

To date, SickKids Catch the Ace has awarded more than $11.5 million to players across the province.