ACT OF KINDNESS

$273M Lotto Winner Wants to Reward Good Samaritan Who Returned His Missing Tickets

The New Jersey man says an anonymous person could have claimed his prize after finding the winning tickets—but didn't.

An unemployed New Jersey man who won the $273 million Mega Millions jackpot last Friday said he initially lost his winning tickets after leaving them behind in a store—but an anonymous good Samaritan turned the tickets in rather than claiming the money for his or herself. “I’m looking for the guy that handed them in, I want to thank him,” said lotto winner Mike Weirsky, who spoke at a press conference Thursday. “I’m going to give him something, but I’m going to keep that private.” Weirsky said he purchased the tickets last Thursday at a Quick Check store in Phillipsburg, N.J. and then forgot them there. A mystery person found them and handed them over to the store, though lottery officials say that person could have easily claimed the jackpot if they had held onto the tickets and signed them. Weirsky, who said he'd been searching for work with no luck for a year, said he now plans to “sit back and enjoy” the money.

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