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Avalanche Survivor Wins Lottery Jackpot - 07-15-09 |
July 15 - Englishman Stephen Newton must have a guardian angel who is looking out for him, because not only did the 34-year-old from Cobham, Kent survive a deadly avalanche in 1998 that claimed the lives of four friends, but he and his family won almost 8 million pounds from a UK National Lottery jackpot.
Just a few days ago, after checking their UK National Lottery tickets, Newton realized that he and his family are now 7.9 million richer. For many years Newton and his father Ted, mother Marilyn, brother Darren and sister Sarah have played the National Lottery together as a syndicate, and it finally paid off.
While everyone in the Newton clan will no doubt dream up a million-and-one ways to spend their share of their lottery windfall, for Stephen Newton his number one priority is to donate some of his jackpot cash to various mountain rescue charities, such is the impact that his near-death experience had on him.
'I owe them everything,' said Stephen about the mountain rescue teams that dug him and his girlfriend Sarah Finch out of the avalanche on Scotland's 4000ft Aonach Mor mountain over a decade ago. 'We were buried under snow for 15 to 16 hours before they found us. They saved Sarah's life and my own.
'As a result, we've supported them ever since through river races, quiz nights and barn dances, so I'm really pleased to be able to offer them this money now,' added Stephen. Now married to Sarah, with two kids, Stephen told reporters that barely a year after the avalanche, he narrowly escaped death again.
As the story goes, in 1990 while on a night navigation sailing exercise with the Scouts, Stephen and the rest of his troop were reported missing after being lost at sea for over 24 hours. They were saved, however, when their boat finally washed ashore somewhere on the Kent coast, thankfully with no fatalities.
Ted Newton, who buys the UK National Lottery tickets on behalf of the family, joked with reporters that while he buys the tickets, his children haven't contributed to their cost for some time. As such, he said he would give each of his children their share as soon as they handed over the 1000 pounds each they owe.
The resulting 3000 pounds will be donated to the mountain rescue charities.
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| | 2009/07/16 12:21:18 AM |
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