Man dies days after winning a million dollars

At the start of 2018, luck seemed to be on his side. 51-year-old New York resident Donald Savastano had just won a million dollars and he hoped it would change his life.

“This is gonna change our lives, to tell you the truth,” he was reported as saying when he claimed a New York State Lottery check for $1 million (Dh3.67million) on January 2.

He had good reason to hope the money would help him – as a self-employed man, he did not have health insurance and had not been feeling well for some time. One of his plans was to visit the doctor, along with buying a new car and going on vacation.

His plans, however, were abruptly cut short. A visit to the doctor brought with it the worst possible news – he was suffering from brain and lung cancer, stage 4, and had just a few days to live.

On Friday, January 26, he passed away just 23 days after winning the lottery. His obituary on the New York-based Lester R. Grummons Funeral Home’s website read: “He had become a carpenter after working with and learning from his dad as a kid. Don did work for commercial companies but after moving to Sidney and a short time with the union he became a successful self-employed carpenter. He was known for his high-quality work and perfectionism. He always tried to reach out and help those he could by teaching them ‘the right way to do things’.”