Ontario caregiver says 'body went numb' after winning $60M Lotto Max jackpot

Ontario's newest Lotto Max winner, Lai Ching Yau, is a caregiver from Markham. (Source: OLG)

A caregiver from Markham, Ont. said her “body went numb” after checking her Lotto Max ticket, and discovering she won $60 million.

“My body went numb, and my mind went blank. I couldn’t think or feel anything,” Lai Ching Yau told the OLG after winning the Jan. 17 jackpot.

Yau realized she won the jackpot after checking her Lotto Max ticket on her phone, the OLG said.

“I needed my family to help make sure it was real, so I called them and sent them a screenshot of the win on the OLG App,” Yau said.

Yau said her family told her to “calm down and breathe” while they checked to see if she actually was the $60 million winner.

“When they confirmed it was true, they told me to sign the ticket, but my hands were shaking so much I couldn’t hold the pen,” she said.

According to the OLG, Yau took some time to compose herself before heading to the store to validate her ticket.

“I was so shocked in the store that I left before I could even finish validating the ticket. The clerk had to flag me down through the window,” she said.

Yau said she then went to see her family in person to celebrate the big news.

“They all hugged me so tight, and we cried happy tears together. It was so touching to have everyone so happy for me,” she said.

Yau said her multi-million dollar windfall has been a lot to process, and now plans to take her family out for a meal to “discuss the future and decide what dreams will come true.” She said she plans on buying a new house.

“I will let all this sink in while I relax and settle into this incredible win. I plan to take this next part of my journey one step at a time. I feel so lucky to be in these unbelievable circumstances,” she said.

The winning ticket was purchased at Times Circle Plus on Highway 7 in Richmond Hill.