New York man wins $1 million lottery, then dies weeks later
A New York man began the new year by winning the lottery. Less than a month later, he died of cancer.
Donald Savastano, of Sidney, won $1 million on the New York Lottery’s Merry Millionaire ticket in the first week of January, reported ABC station WCVB.
The 51-year-old man told a TV reporter he had some exciting plans for the money.
“Being a self-employed carpenter, I didn’t really have a plan for retirement,” Savastano said. “The money will help with that. I don’t have any other extravagant plans. I’ll buy a new truck, pay off some debt and invest for the future.”
Savastano also planned to visit the doctor, according to Danielle Scott, the cashier who sold him the ticket.
“He was self-employed, he didn’t have insurance, he hadn’t been feeling good for a while … when he got the money he went in to the doctor,” Scott said. “He had a friend come and talk to me, and they told me that he was very sick and that he had brain and lung cancer and that he was in the hospital and they didn’t think he was gonna make it.”
Savastano died more than a week ago.
He is survived by his girlfriend, his mother and four brothers.
