Man Wins $1 Million From Lottery Ticket Given as Last-Minute Father’s Day Gift

June 27, 2015

A man in Pennsylvania became an instant millionaire from a scratch-off lottery ticket that was given to him as a last-minute Father’s Day gift.

Joseph Morrah, a 61-year-old truck driver, was less than 200 days away from retirement, but is taking an early leave thanks to his new winnings.

The Pittsburgh Tribune Review reported the $1 million ticket was bought by his daughter, Christina Morrah, who put the winning lottery ticket in a card she gave her father last Sunday. However it was his wife, Debbie Morrah, who suggested the idea to buy the $20 ticket:

“I said, ‘Buy a lottery ticket for him,’ because I didn’t get him anything, and I felt bad.”

Morrah recounts that when he scratched his ticket he saw a space reading “payout,” but didn’t know what it meant. His daughter, however, instantly knew. He told the Tribune-Review:

“She starts screaming her head off.”

“‘You’re a millionaire!’”

The family lives in Jeannette, a city 25 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, and were awaiting news of confirmation from the lottery when they spoke to the newspaper on Tuesday. The ticket was officially validated as a winner in Harrisburg on Wednesday by Lauren Bottaro, the Pennsylvania Lottery Spokeswoman. There are still another four $1 million scratch-off tickets to be won in the same game.

Joseph Morrah, a supermarket truck driver of 31 years, plans to use the money to buy a “muscle car” and a new pickup truck for himself. He currently drives a 1960s Chevrolet Bel-Air, which he plans to give to another daughter, Kimberly Morrah. He told the newspaper:

“It still hasn’t settled in.”

“When I see the check in my hand, then I’ll believe it.”

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