By COLlive reporter
A beautiful story about an act of kindness and sheer luck had turned into a devastating tale of a heartless prank.
A 62-year-old woman was one of the many employees of Park Avenue Health Care and Wellness Center in Pomona, California, who was given a free lottery ticket this week to the record Powerball jackpot for $1.5 billion.
The ticket was a gift from the Jewish businessman and philanthropist Shlomo Rechnitz who bought 18,000 tickets for his employees and residents at 80 nursing homes across California.
After the numbers were drawn, one of the woman’s 7 children called her and notified that she had the winning ticket – one of 3 in California, Tennessee and Florida that scored the highest lottery in world history.
The winning ticket was purchased at a 7-Eleven located at 4092 Chino Hills Parkway in Chino Hills, ABC7News reported. Revelers swarmed the store in celebration Wednesday evening.
Traditional and social media went abuzz over the win with the name Shlomo Rechnitz trending on Facebook. “We will provide the ticket. You provide the dream,” Rechnitz has written on the lottery tickets.
It highlighted his known gifts of charity for decades now. As reported on COLlive.com, Rechnitz ran into 400 U.S. servicemen in the airport in Shannon, Ireland, this past November and handed each one of them $50 to buy themselves a warm meal.
But the heartwarming story quickly came to a sour end when the nurse’s daughter told the Los Angeles Times that her mother did not win.
California lottery officials confirmed that no one has come forward to claim the prize.
The nurse’s son apparently pulled a prank on his mother. But the daughter told The Times that she believed it was a misunderstanding based on a photo of a ticket that was sent to her mother.
“The situation was all a misunderstanding,” she said. “It’s too embarrassing.”
Now, the ire of the public is now directed at the son. “What kind of son does that to his mother?!” one comment wrote on Facebook.
Her son wasn’t pranking. She has actually won the lotto but didn’t want to give any money to her colleague that why she is lying. She has probably hired an attorney who will form a LLC to claim the price. No one is going to know the name of winner because of the attorney client privilege.
It’s Mitzvos like this that bring us closer to moshiach!!!
If I was as rich as Shlomo, I would have done the same things. G-d bless his heart!
Maybe it is real and it’s being denied so no one knows that she won.
I think she really did win and the family is now trying to hide the fact that she won.
Cannot fault him for feeling the way he feels, but his head is definitely in the wrong hole. US military does not protect US from anyone, Oceans do. US military made the World far more dangerous in the last 20 years than it has ever been since WWII.
Did Rechnitz buy all those tickets from that 7-11 that won?
Very nice of him & no doubt he is a huge baal chesed and baal tzedaka, but that is money that could have helped other Yidden.
So the son literally lied to his mother to be funny?
Har,har,har.
On all the local news in Los Angeles CBS 2, ABC 7, NBC 4 r saying that the RN from the Pomona Nursing Home didn’t win, 1 website says that the Nurses’s son somehow faked the #z then sent her a pic of the “so called wining ticket” how he did that & all the info isn’t known, but that’s according 2 CBS or NBC Local Los Angeles News Websites. So yes Shlomo Rechnitz bought lots of tickets but not the wining 1. FALSE ALARM
What a true kiddish HaSh-m!! Just imagine if everyone did one act of kindness a day what a better world this would be. May Mr Richnitz and his family be blessed with good health and many blessings.
It puts false hope in people. It is bread of shame. It makes some people into gamblers. I am glad I did not buy a ticket. Hashem has many ways of making someone rich. In G-d we trust- no need to put hopes in winning the lottery.
who won?
What a selfless man this is amazing. God,bless –
The world needs many of this kind of people…………
A person who goes out of his way to make other people happy. The world needs more people like that..it dont even have to cost money…just the love from one human being to another is sometimes all it really takes. Sometimes a little goes a long way in a persons life. I hope this man lives a very long and happy life filled with the love he passes out.
Such a Tzaddik. May hashem continue to bench him.
You are such a kiddish Hashem!! See, there is light within the darkness! May Hashem continue to shower you and your family with Bracha!!
We need more people like Mr, Rechnitz in this world – this is something we can all learn from to be kind & caring toward each other – May he be blessed with many years of good health & a life filled with happiness-
Sholomo! You are the man! G-d Bless you
Thank you Mr. Rechnitz for demonstrating to the world the wonderful example of Acts of Kindness! May H’Shem continue to bless you, your family, your business and Israel!
So, does he get credit for 500 million of tzddekah, or just 2 lol. What a great guy though, seriously!
What a wonderful and thoughtful thing to do……I wish I had someone in my life to send me to the Carrick Brain Center for brain treatments…….
Mr. Rechnitz
I was crying when I was reading the article, what a kiddush Hashem
You and your family should be blessed with health and happiness when you have health and happiness life is beautiful
Whoh mr rechnitz you so kindhearted could you buy me a ticket next time could you participate and help me in the institute of Talmudic research
Awesome!
I’m speechless……..
This is a mench’s mench… A tzodik
May H’Shem Bless you with many years of nachas
A TZADDIK OF A GUY!!
MAY HAKODOSH BORUCH HU CONTINUE TO BENTCH HIM IN TOTAL ABUNDANCE
That is so amazing!!!!!
He certainly is a very special person may he be blessed with many years of long life happiness and good health
It’s Mitzvos like this that bring us closer to moshiach!!!
May Hashem bentch with all the brochos in the world!