No Fooling: April 1 Lottery Winnings Turn Into Big Mother's Day Gift
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Daniel Stojak won't have any trouble buying his mom the diamond bracelet she wants for Mother's Day, thanks to what she already bought for him last month.
It was no April Fool's Day joke when Shirley Stojak told her son a scratch-off ticket she bought for him on April 1 was a $2.5 million winner.
WBBM Newsradio's Nancy Harty reports Daniel routinely gives his mom $10 to buy him lottery tickets at the Niles grocery store where she works. They'd won a few times before, but nothing like this, so he wasn't sure what to think when she called him to pick her up on April 1 and told him she had a surprise.
"He thought it was a joke. He thought, 'she's kidding me,'" Shirley said.
It was no joke. She really had bought a winning ticket from her lucky machine – and got a $2.5 million prize.
Daniel said his mom isn't one for brunch or flowers, so her Mother's Day gift likely will be jewelry.
"I'm going to get her something like that. Maybe a tennis bracelet. She's always wanted a diamond tennis bracelet," he said.
They'll also head to the casino on Mother's Day to see if their luck continues.
"Usually we go to the riverboats. I take her gambling. She likes to do that; play the slot machines on Mother's Day," he said.
Daniel said he's encouraging his mom to retire, but the 77-year-old cashier said she's not ready to do that right away.