A BC Residential School Survivor Just Won Lotto 6/49 & She Was 'In Shock'

A Lotto 6/49 winner in B.C. took home the Guaranteed Prize of $1 million from the April 1, 2023 Lotto 6/49 draw — and her family thought it was an April Fools' Day prank at first.

Thelma Florence is a residential school survivor and a member of the Chawathil First Nation, who shares her experiences at schools in the Fraser Valley and Vancouver.

"Emphasizing the significance of this truth-telling, Florence said she will continue to share her story with young people in the region to promote awareness about the residential school system," BCLC said.

Florence bought her winning lottery ticket from Bee's Food Market in Hope and checked it the morning after the draw. She said that on the night of the draw the whole town was excited about the announcement that a local won the lottery — and she didn't even know that she was the winner at that point.

She waited until the next morning to check her ticket on the BCLC Lotto! App and was "in shock" when she discovered the win.

"I thought, 'Is this real? Me? Really?'" Florence said. She wasn't the only one who was in disbelief!

"I sent a screenshot of the app into the family group chat and everyone wondered if it was a late April Fools' Day joke," she added.

As for what her plans are, Florence said that she wants to buy a new car for herself, and help out her grandkids get new vehicles too.