‘I was awake for 51 hours straight:’ Nepean man hits $15-million jackpot

A Nepean man is going to be accelerating plans for his upholstery business, travelling more and setting some money aside for his future after cashing in a $15-million Lotto Max Jackpot ticket.

Kenneth Donald, 50, matched all seven numbers in the May 12 draw and found out while in his van. 

“I checked my ticket using the OLG Lottery App and thought I won $15,000, so I carried on with my day,” he shared, while at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up his cheque. “I scanned it again but I still didn’t register the prize amount. Then I checked the numbers on OLG.ca a couple of times to make sure it was correct.”

Donald says as soon as he realized how much he had actually won, he felt sick. 

“For about ten minutes it felt like the worst hangover of my life,” he explained. “I was hot, I was cold, I was sweating, and my head hurt. Then the adrenaline set in and I was awake for 51 hours straight.”

The father of three shared the news with his family but they didn’t believe him. 

“I have a history of being a prankster. I kept telling my family to guess how much I had won and they kept telling me I was pulling their legs,” Donald laughed. “Now they’re more excited than I am.”

The entrepreneur says the extra money will certainly help him adjust his five-year plan. 

“I’ll buy a new house and get a new car instead of driving my work van. I’ll help some of my family and invest the rest for my future,” he smiled. 

“This win will also allow meto travel back to Scotland to visit family more often,” said Donald. 

The winning ticket was purchased at Circle K on Moodie Drive in Nepean.