Man's last 10-spot turns into $50 million

Published: Nov. 10, 2009 at 8:32 PM

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Nov. 10 (UPI) -- A Canadian stroke victim said Tuesday he plunked his last sawbuck down on the lottery ticket that made him rich to the tune of $50 million.

Lottery officials presented a tearful Kirby Fontaine of the Sagkeeng First Nation, northeast of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and his wife Marie with a symbolic oversized check.

Kirby Fontaine said he had been off work from his casino job after suffering a stroke several months ago and bought the winning ticket with his last $10.

"My community -- everybody prayed for me," Kirby Fontaine said between sobs. "This is hard for a stroke victim."

The couple, who have two children, had learned Saturday they had matched all of the numbers in Friday's Lotto Max draw.

"It's a new life for us," Marie Fontaine said, adding. "Everything's still up in the air. We are going day by day."

They intend to "help those who have helped us," she said. "This is something that's going to affect everybody."

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