Geraldine Gimblet, bottom center, won $2 million in the Florida Lottery after spending her life savings to pay for her daughter’s cancer treatment.
When Geraldine Gimblet's daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer, she took action.
"My mom had taken out her life savings to take care of me when I was sick," Gimblet's daughter said.
WATCH ANYTIME FOR FREE
 |
Stream NBC10 Boston news for free, 24/7, wherever you are. |
The day before her daughter's last cancer treatment, the Florida resident was at a convenience store in Lakeland. While she was there, she decided to buy a scratch-off lottery ticket.
She specifically wanted the $2,000,000 Bonus Cashword ticket.
Get updates on what's happening in Boston to your inbox. Sign up for our News Headlines newsletter.
But it almost didn't happen.
"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," Gimblet said. "He found the last one!"
That ticket turned out to be a winner - worth a whopping $2 million.
Her daughter and granddaughter were with her last Friday when she claimed her big prize at lottery headquarters in Tallahassee.
"I'm just so happy for her," said Gimblet's daughter.
Gimblet choose to receive her winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $1.645 million, according to the Florida State Lottery.
The $10 scratch-off game launched last May and features eight top prizes of $2 million and 20 second-tier prizes of $100,000.
