Ky. Nurse Who Worked on COVID Frontlines Wins $200K Lottery on First Day of Retirement: 'Meant to Be'
Getty A lottery ticket
A Kentucky nurse who served on the COVID-19 frontlines started off retirement with a bang — and she believes it's all thanks to fate.
The Floyd County woman, who has chosen to remain anonymous, said she was just hours into her first day of retirement when she purchased a $200,000 winning lottery ticket on Nov. 4, according to a press release from the Kentucky Lottery.
"It was unbelievable," said the nurse, who retired after 36 years on the job. "I saw this as a sign it was meant to be for me to quit working."
On that fateful day, she made a stop at the Double Kwik in Prestonsburg, where she decided to purchase a $10 Tree-Mendous Winnings Scratch-off ticket, according to the release.
RELATED: Mass. Woman Wins $2 Million Lottery Prize — and Plans to Use It to Help Those in Need This Winter
Standing in the convenience store, the nurse scratched off the lottery ticket to find that she had matched the number 20 on the last row, the release explained.
After scratching off the prize amount below, the woman learned that she had won the game's top price: $200,000.
RELATED VIDEO: Mom Wins $10,000 Lottery While Evacuating From Hurricane Irma: 'We All Started Screaming'
The news came at a great time for the nurse, who dedicated nearly four decades of her life to helping others and was feeling unsure about retirement.
"It's been tough," she said of working on the COVID frontlines. As of Friday, there have been a total of 762,429 cases and 10,218 COVID-related deaths reported in Kentucky, per The New York Times.
However, thanks to the winning ticket, she now has a renewed spirit about retiring: "I can do this," she said in the press release.
RELATED: Longtime Preschool Teacher in North Carolina Wins $250,000 Lottery Months After Getting Laid Off
Following her win last week, the woman drove three hours to the lottery headquarters in Louisville, where she was presented a check for $142,000 after taxes.
At this time, it is unclear what the woman plans to use her prize money for.
