Woman almost had a heart attack after winning the NC lottery

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11 months ago

According to lottery officials, Dana Pruitt plans to use her winnings for retirement.

Courtesy of the North Carolina Education Lottery.

Recently, Dana Pruitt went to the store with a specific purchase: scratched lottery ticket.

But when the 62-year-old woman got to the Mayberry Mart on East Pine Street in Mount Airy, North Carolina, she got some disappointing news.

“They were sold out of my first pick,” Pruitt told North Carolina Lottery officials, according to a press release Wednesday, Oct. 26.

Pruitt settled on her second choice, a $30 Fabulous Fortune ticket, officials said. She then went outside and scratched her ticket right in front of the Mayberry Mart.

“When I scratched it, I had a heart attack,” she told officials. “It shocked me.”

Pruitt got a big surprise: a $100,000 win.

On Wednesday, Pruitt collected $71,019 after taxes from the North Carolina Lottery headquarters. She said she plans to save for retirement, but officials said she may take a trip to New England before then.

“This is the best win I’ve ever had,” Pruitt told officials. “Honestly, I’m still in shock.”

Mount Airy is about 40 miles northwest of Winston-Salem.

Moira Ritter covers the news in real time for McClatchy. She graduated from Georgetown University where she studied government, journalism and German. She previously reported for CNN Business.