A union conference in Toronto and some Band-Aids ended up changing a Burnaby man's life.
Troy Maulding was in Ontario earlier this month when he went to a store to grab some bandages for a friend and bought some lottery tickets while he was there.
The 55-year-old is no stranger to the lottery, having played regular numbers since he was 19, and decided to get his usual digits, as well as a Quick Pick.
"I was having some quiet time in my hotel room when I checked my tickets. The numbers I normally play didn’t win," he said in a news release.
"Then I started matching the numbers from my Quick Pick. I had to double-check what I was seeing."
Once he realized he'd won, he stood up in his hotel room, looked in the mirror and told himself, "I won!"
He sent a text to his wife and sister-in-law with a photo of the ticket to have them confirm that what he was seeing was right. He changed his mind and called them instead.
"Then I heard my sister-in-law say, 'He won!' That's when I asked my wife to pack up and head down to Toronto to be with me.
"I had to hold it together because I had a job to do. When I told my colleagues, they thanked me for my commitment to the work that had to be done and for staying for the entire conference in light of this incredible news. I almost cried.
"I was so humbled by the outpouring of love."
Once he retires from work, Maulding plans to find a home to buy. He says the rest will fall into place after that.
"It's been a touching experience."
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