For many of the clients coming into Sidney resident William Scott GurneyB次元官网网址檚 office, they likely would have been unaware of the life-changing bit of paper sitting in his locked desk drawer B次元官网网址 a winning lottery ticket for $55 million.
Gurney works as a bookkeeper and financial advisor. But rather than take the cash and run, he hunkered down and endeavoured to make it through tax season (checking the drawer every couple of days to make sure the ticket was still there).
B次元官网网址淚 just didnB次元官网网址檛 want to B次元官网网址 when I first noticed B次元官网网址 it was B次元官网网址榙o I close the doors or stay open?B次元官网网址 But so many of the people that are my clients and friends have been with me for 20, 30 years, and it just wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be fair to them to just throw them out on the street like that. So I made the decision to stay open through tax season and IB次元官网网址檝e got my wonderful staff out there working.B次元官网网址
Gurney first bought the ticket on Feb. 28 and after checking the numbers several times in disbelief, he decided to keep it relatively secret. ResidentsB次元官网网址 speculation about the identity of the mystery jackpot winner was put to rest Tuesday (April 4) when the B.C. Lottery Corporation announced Gurney had won FebruaryB次元官网网址檚 $55 million Lotto Max jackpot prize B次元官网网址 the largest win on Vancouver Island. He purchased the ticket at the Save-On-Foods location on Beacon Avenue in Sidney.
Once the busy period is over, Gurney plans on retiring and finding somebody to take over his business.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e tried to keep it small. But it was getting harder and harder when people are saying B次元官网网址榳eB次元官网网址檒l see you next year.B次元官网网址 As much as IB次元官网网址檇 love to, I donB次元官网网址檛 know if I want to do another tax season.B次元官网网址
As a financial advisor, Gurney is well positioned to handle the life-changing amount of cash thatB次元官网网址檚 coming his way and plans to follow the advice heB次元官网网址檇 give out to any of his clients.
B次元官网网址淭ake six months, stop. DonB次元官网网址檛 do anything rash. Just evaluate what you want and then start going from there. DonB次元官网网址檛 make rash decisions.B次元官网网址
Gurney already had a month-long trip planned this year and hopes to see as much of the world as he can, saying heB次元官网网址檚 eyeing trips to Morocco, Turkey, and perhaps a safari.
B次元官网网址淭here are so many amazing things out there. But every time I come home, in Sidney going on the pier, IB次元官网网址檓 amazed by what we have here and all the tourists I meet out there.B次元官网网址
As far as his permanent home, he plans to stick on the Island, having moved from Regina in the B次元官网网址90s, though heB次元官网网址檒l be looking for a house with a dock as heB次元官网网址檚 an avid crabber. HeB次元官网网址檒l think about helping out friends and family but wants to make sure the money lasts. He also plans on mulling over which charities heB次元官网网址檇 like to donate money to, saying he has a particular fondness for the BC ChildrenB次元官网网址檚 Hospital and the Saanich Peninsula Hospital.
B次元官网网址淭he funniest thing IB次元官网网址檝e found is that B次元官网网址 we all dream, if we win the lottery, weB次元官网网址檒l do this, weB次元官网网址檒l do this, weB次元官网网址檒l do this. I noticed you rethink that once it happens because now itB次元官网网址檚 a possible reality.B次元官网网址
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