Our Lottery 182 Winner!

Ticket Number: 0326375| Mackay 4740| Total Prize Amount $870,000

“Thank you all. This is going to change my life!”

We tried three times to call Wendy*, our lucky Deaf Lottery 182 1st Prize Winner to inform her she had won, but couldn’t get through.

It was only 20 minutes later, however, that she returned the call and was put through to Deaf Services Chief Operating Officer Craig McDonald, who passed on the amazing news to a tearful Wendy while sitting at his desk.

As everyone realised what was happening, staff (including Deaf Services CEO, Brett Casey) poured into Craig’s office to be present for the call.

Craig sharing the news with Wendy!

“I’m crying,” Wendy said when she learned of her windfall. “Are you sure it’s real?”

Wendy had just won the $850,000 1st Prize and, as a $50 VIP Club Member, a bonus $20,000 in Gold Bullion.

It’s more than a fitting reward for Wendy, who has supported Deaf Services as a Deaf Lottery VIP Club Member since 2003.

“I made the decision some years ago to support one charity,” Wendy said. “I chose Deaf Services because you do such good work for the Deaf community.”

As it happened, today was Wendy’s last at her current job, and was just about to go out with her colleagues to lunch, a meal which Wendy knew was about to become her shout!

It’s fair to say that meals will be on Wendy for a while!

“I work as a counsellor,” Wendy told us. “My work is very hard, so this news is just unbelievable. I love my work so much and I’ll still do it … just perhaps a bit less of it!”

Wendy made sure to thank the staff who were there in the room during her winning call.

“Thank you all so much,” she said. “This is truly going to change my life.”

Wendy doesn’t have family in Mackay, but told us she would soon be flying down south to connect with her children. We have a feeling it’s going to be a very special Christmas celebration!

From everyone at Deaf Services, we wish Wendy the very best, and thank her for ongoing support of Deaf and hard of hearing Australians. 

*Name changed to maintain anonymity