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Stephanie scoops €2.6m lotto
28.06.10
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Buncrana family gets
out of town
by Linda McGrory
A young Buncrana woman who almost died at birth is
celebrating scooping Saturday's recession-busting
€2.6million lotto jackpot.
Stephanie Doherty, Mulberry Avenue, Buncrana,
weighed barely 2lbs when she was born prematurely
over 30 years ago. Yesterday, the 'miracle'
mum-of-one discovered she had become a
multi-millionaire overnight.
As word of their good fortune spread, optician's
assistant, Stephanie, husband Graham and their
six-year old daughter, Aoibheann, promptly got out
of town.
The win is all the more welcome for the young family
after Graham, originally from Redcastle, was forced
to close his plastering company last year due to the
downturn in construction.
Stephanie's mum, Patricia Ferguson, said her
daughter's immediate reaction to the win was to
flee.
The family drove the four-hour journey to Dublin and
planned to stay in a hotel in the city last night
before travelling to National Lottery HQ today. |
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“They knew it would be
pandemonium around here and that the media would
start arriving so they decided the best thing to do
was to get out of town quickly and head for Dublin,“
laughed Patricia.
“Stephanie said she did not want to talk to anybody
until she had that cheque firmly in her hand and was
confirmed as the winner.“
Stephanie, the eldest of four, was out for a seaside
walk yesterday when her mum rang with some news.
“She was walking along the shore and I rang her and
told her to check her lotto ticket because the
jackpot was won in Buncrana. She said 'I wonder who
it is? Good luck to them',“ added her mother.
“A short while later, I got a phone call from her
and she was crying and crying and she just kept
saying, 'please come up to the house straight away'.
“Stephanie has always been my miracle baby and this
couldn't happen to a more good-hearted, kinder
person.“
The 30 year old, who turns 31 in October, was
walking past Mac's newsagents on Buncrana main
street on Saturday afternoon, when she decided to
pop in for a €4 Quick Pick.
Mac's proprietors, Eunan and Pauline McLaughlin, who
get around €15,000 for selling the winning ticket,
said they were thrilled for the local woman.
“Stephanie is a loyal customer of ours and comes in
here nearly every day. She's a lovely, lovely girl. We have been running Mac's
for four years and you live for the day a customer
will win the lotto,“ said Pauline.
“In this recession, €15,000 is life-changing money
for us too, as a small business. The money will help
us pay a few bills.“
The winning numbers drawn were 7,17,18, 29, 35 & 44.
The bonus number was 22. |
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