To say it’s been a rollercoaster of a few weeks for Jennifer Stuart-Flynn and Kyle Murray of Iroquois Falls is an understatement. Jennifer and Kyle just welcomed a new baby into their family and, just days later, found out that they were Ontario’s newest multi-millionaires! The couple held the winning ticket for the $70 million LOTTO MAX jackpot from the August 20, 2024 draw.
Jennifer, 33, and Kyle, 39, had just returned home to Iroquois Falls from a Toronto hospital, where Jennifer had delivered their baby after a high-risk pregnancy. Kyle was waiting at the Timmins airport to pick up his mother, who was coming to help with the newborn. That’s when Jennifer texted Kyle, asking him to purchase a LOTTO MAX ticket after seeing on social media that the jackpot was at $70 million.
Kyle, who is originally from the U.S., had never bought a lottery ticket in Canada, despite having lived and worked here for several years. He asked the retailer for some help and purchased his very first LOTTO MAX and LOTTO 6/49 Quick Pick tickets with ENCORE.
When Kyle arrived home from the airport with his mother, he put the tickets on the fridge as a reminder to check them after the draw. Soon after the Tuesday August 20th LOTTO MAX draw, Jennifer heard that the jackpot-winning ticket was sold in the Timiskaming/Cochrane region. She was at the kitchen table having cereal when she decided to check their ticket. “I scanned the ticket on the OLG App and heard the ‘Winner/Gagnant’ win tone,” recounted Jennifer. “I was in shock and not processing what was happening, so I shut down the OLG App and reopened it. I checked the ticket again and heard the same thing. That’s when I called out to Kyle!”
Kyle, who is in the financial technology industry and works from home, says he was busy with work when he heard Jennifer call his name. “I thought I heard ‘Winner/Gagnant’ coming from Jennifer’s phone in the kitchen, but I wasn’t completely focused on what she was saying until she yelled “I think we won!” said Kyle. “I looked at her phone and read ‘$70 million winner,’ but I was trying to figure out if it was displaying the maximum prize or if we actually won $70 million. I felt light-headed and that sensation ran through my whole body!”
The first person to hear the incredible news was Kyle’s mom, who was staying with them to help with the baby. She couldn’t believe what was happening and was over the moon with excitement. Jennifer and Kyle decided to take Kyle’s mom and their kids for a secret celebration at a local restaurant. “We wanted to shout the news, but we knew that in our small town, this type of news would travel very fast. We had to be careful not to spill the beans throughout the entire dinner,” laughed Jennifer.
As for what Jennifer and Kyle plan to do with this overwhelming windfall, they both said, “We are carefully considering what to do with the $70 million because it’s a lot of money and it comes with a lot of responsibility.” Whenever Jennifer dreamed about winning the lottery, she always said she would buy her sister a new house, and now that’s at the top of her to-do list. “My sister is the most kind, loving, and generous person in the world, so I want to make sure she is taken care of,” she smiled. Next, Kyle and Jennifer want to ensure that their children have a wonderful life, so they plan to make a special purchase. “We want to buy some land to set up a little farm with chickens and a highland cow. We hope it will be a place where the kids can have fun and will want to return to as they get older,” explained Kyle.
While the couple were processing their good fortune during their winner celebration in Toronto, Kyle reflected on the recent past and the promising future ahead. “The last few years have been a struggle, and everything we did was to make a better life for the kids.” Jennifer added, “I realize my kids are going to have a much better life than I had and that makes me the most emotional. They are set and won’t have to wonder or worry about anything anymore.”
As they embark on this incredible journey, Jennifer and Kyle both agree, “We would not want anyone else by our side during this wild and unexpected experience.”
The $70 million winning LOTTO MAX ticket was purchased at Esso on Algonquin Boulevard in Timmins.
This LOTTO MAX jackpot win is the sixth jackpot win in a row in Ontario this year.