Canadian Couple Reunited With Lost $50M Lotto Ticket

A Canadian couple who lost their winning $50 million lottery ticket in January, even after duct-taping it inside a purse for safekeeping, were finally able to collect their winnings this week thanks to a church member's honesty.

Hakeem Nosiru of Brampton, Ontario, purchased the winning Lotto Max ticket in January and was nearly ready to claim the money when he and his wife, Abiola Nosiru, noticed the ticket was missing after attending church.

"I had a fly in my stomach and I couldn't sleep for days," said Abiola Nosiru, who had the ticket duct-taped in her purse. "I couldn't eat. I was devastated."

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Their distress continued until April 1 when they got a surprise call from a fellow member of their congregation who had found the ticket at the church.

"When I found it I was so happy," Abiola said at a Monday news conference with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, according to the Toronto Sun.

The Nosirus were able to reclaim their ticket because they had signed the back of the lottery ticket and entered their address.

After a police investigation to ensure the winning ticket was the Nosirus' property, the couple was able to claim their $50 million prize Monday.

"We are relieved, we are very excited, we are very happy," Abiola said, according to the Sun. "We're going to relax with our [four] children and our [five] grandchildren."