In November of last year, the jackpot for the Mega Millions lottery was absolutely insane in the state of Missouri. The top prize was worth no less than 1.6 billion dollars, an incredible amount of money that can change someone’s world completely.

A group of nurses at the Mercy Children’s Hospital in Missouri got a lottery ticket, and they got a taste of victory!

Unfortunately, they didn’t quite get the top prize of 1.6 billion dollars, they were only one number off! However, they did manage to score a significant prize of $10,000.

“We never thought in a million years we would win anything at all and then we came one number away from winning $1.6 billion,” NICU nurse Stephanie Brinkman told KMOV4.

Brinkman is also in charge of the NICU lottery pool activities at the hospital. In total, 126 nurses all partook in the group purchase of the lottery tickets, so the prize money was supposed to be split up between all of them. After taking taxes into account, every nurse would receive $56. A nice little bonus, but nothing life-changing.

However, they decided to take all of that money and donate it to people who really needed it.

In fact, they picked out two of their colleagues and their families that would benefit the most from this amount of money.

“The majority said, ‘let’s give it to our co-workers, our family, the ones that are in biggest need’ so that’s what we decided to do,” Brinkman told. “I know it’s not the $1.6 billion dollars but here is what we have to offer you,” the nurse said to her co-workers. “Hopefully, it’ll help.”

One of those two people was neonatologist Casey Orellana.

Tragically, her husband Phil recently got diagnosed with severe sarcoma cancer. In order to take care of her husband and the children at home, Orellana had to cut her hours in half just. It was necessary, but it also put an enormous financial strain on the family – one that has now been made a little bit lighter thanks to her generous co-workers.

“Since July, I have not been able to work. I have been getting various other treatments for wound care and at the same time, I had also found out the cancer had spread to my lungs,” husband Phil told.

“When I got that phone call [about the lottery winnings], it was a day I was wondering how we were going to pay for certain medications and it just touches your heart,” Casey said.

The other person they chose was nurse Gretchen Post.

Gretchen’s son Jack took his own life at 17 years old. Nobody saw it coming and he always was a joyful and kind young man. He passed away on the night of the lottery drawing, and now a part of those earnings will be used to pay for his funeral.

“Jack [on the right] always had a smile on his face. He did not lead anyone on that this would happen,” Gretchen told. “It’s actually going to pay for Jack’s funeral which I’m very grateful for,” she added.

These warm co-workers form a family of their own and are incredibly close to each other.

“Certainly knowing that I’m not the only one fighting this battle, that there are people there to support me, certainly makes it easier for me,” Phil Orellana said.

Such a kind and heartwarming act!

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Source: KMOV4