Pennsylvania Woman Accidentally Donates Winning Lottery Ticket After Leaving It in Jacket She Gave to Charity

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A Pennsylvania woman is desperately searching for a winning lottery ticket worth millions after realizing she accidentally donated it along with a jacket to charity last year.

Mildred Simoneriluto, 76, purchased a Pennsylvania Cash 5 lottery ticket in May 2024 at a Shop n' Save in Murrysville. Two weeks later, she discovered that her ticket had the winning numbers—14, 22, 33, 35, and 38—but by then, it was too late, WTAE reported.

However, she had unknowingly donated the jacket containing the $2.5 million ticket to Vietnam Veterans of America, an organization that distributes donations across the U.S. and internationally.

Now, with the ticket set to expire on May 8, 2025, Simoneriluto has been consumed with regret and anguish. Since Pennsylvania Lottery rules require the physical ticket to claim the prize, she faces the harsh reality that someone else may find and cash in her winnings—or that the money will go unclaimed altogether.

Simoneriluto made her story public in hopes that someone, somewhere, might recognize the lost ticket and return it.

If an individual finds and redeems the ticket before the deadline, they will legally be entitled to the $2.5 million jackpot. However, if no one comes forward by May 8, the winnings will go unawarded.