One couldn鈥檛 blame White Rock鈥檚 Tibor Tusnady for feeling a little flushed these days 鈥� after all, he鈥檚 just become B.C.鈥檚 newest millionaire.

Tusnady, a retired pharmacist, won $16.4 million , after matching all six numbers in the April 15 Lotto 6/49 draw. His ticket 鈥� purchased at the Elgin Esso on Crescent Road in South Surrey 鈥� was the only one in Canada to win the jackpot.

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鈥淚t鈥檚 a big, big shock,鈥� Tusnady, 63, said during a moving Facebook live interview with BCLC interim president and CEO Greg Moore. 鈥淚 already warned the bank I鈥檓 coming with a big cheque.鈥�

Tusnady (pronounced Tush-nady) told BCLC it took some time for him to get a handle on the situation. He was sitting on the toilet at home when he decided to check his 6/49 tickets against the winning numbers.

鈥淚 Googled the numbers,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 took my ticket out and checked and just went blank. I tried to take a deep breath, let it register, and went back and checked again and again.鈥�

In shock, he waited till the next day to drop the bomb on his wife.

鈥淭he next day, after lunch, I held my wife鈥檚 hand and said, 鈥楲ook, I have something to tell you and I don鈥檛 want anything to change with us,鈥欌�� Tusnady recounted.

After that, Tusnady shared the good news with relatives across Canada and in Hungary via video meetings.

At first, 鈥渘obody believed it,鈥� he said.

鈥淓verybody thinks it鈥檚 a joke.鈥�

He claimed the prize via BCLC鈥檚 alternative prize-claim process.

Tusnady said travel will be on his family鈥檚 to-do list once the pandemic has passed 鈥� and the plane tickets will seat them at the front of the aircraft from now on.

The virtual celebration was BCLC鈥檚 first.

tholmes@peacearchnews.com
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