The man who claimed the lump sum payment on a $1,000,000 winning lottery payment has tragically passed away just weeks after collecting his winnings. According to a WBNG report, Donald Savastano told the cashier who sold him the winning ticket that he was uninsured and had not been feeling well.
Sadly, even though Savastano then had the money to finally see a doctor, it was too late. He was diagnosed with brain and lung cancer before passing away Friday surrounded by his family.
I remember seeing Savastano's picture all over the news the day he won the lottery and what struck me the most is how genuinely humble the guy was. ALL he wanted was to see a doctor for the first time in awhile,pay off some assorted bills, buy a new truck (he did carpentry work), and save for the future.
That sort of humility is commendable and I hope that Donald was able to enjoy his winnings for at least a little bit during his final weeks.