Record-Setting Lotto Jackpot Winner Will Share Her Money With Charity

A sole winner who won the $1.5 billion Mega Millions jackpot (biggest in history), now has disclosed she will share her massive wealth with charity.

“I do realize that such good fortune carries a tremendous social responsibility, and it gives me a unique opportunity to assist, support and contribute to charities and causes that are close to my heart,” the anonymous woman penned in a statement.

The charities set to see part of her jackpot consist of a Red Cross relief fund for Alabama tornadoes victims that endured 23 fatalities. Her other personal causes include the hurricane relief fund One SC, the City of Simpsonville’s Art Center, the breast cancer charity In the Middle, and Ronald McDonald House. Her donation amounts were not disclosed.

The unidentified winner, whose numbers on October 23 were drawn, elected to take her compensation in a single $878 million lump sum, the biggest ever given out to a sole winner in U.S. history.

“After checking her ticket the morning after the drawing, she was in complete shock and disbelief,” her lawyer, Jason Kurland wrote in a statement. The woman expressed she yelled for “what felt like hours,” then looked up lawyers prior to coming forward with her prize. Kurland explains that was the correct choice.

“First thing you do is stay quiet,” the attorney spoke. “Don’t tell your friends, don’t tell your family. You have a couple of weeks before you come forward to the world. You need that time to be in the right mindset.”

Kurland stresses the second thing you must do is immediately sign your winning ticket. That is the lone way to prove the ticket belongs to you.