The lawyer for a South Carolina woman who came forward with the winning ticket for the largest Mega Millions lottery jackpot in U.S. history said she will donate some of the money to tornado relief efforts in Alabama.
Jason Kurland, the anonymous woman’s attorney, told CNN that the woman made the decision based on the timing of her lottery win, which came as devastating storms killed at least 23 people across the state of Alabama. Her donation will be made primarily to the Alabama Red Cross, which is handling privately-run hurricane relief in the state.
{mosads}”It just felt like we were having this great event when there were people suffering nearby,” her attorney told CNN. Kurland added that the woman agreed that it would not be announced how much would be donated to other charities besides the Red Cross, but said the individual charities would be named to raise awareness and further donations.
“We spoke with the charities and agreed it would be best not to announce [the amount]. We want to announce the charities to spread awareness,” he reportedly said.
CNN reported that other charities targeted for donations from the woman’s lottery winnings include the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Columbia, S.C., In The Middle, a breast cancer charity, the City of Simpsonville Art Center, and the One SC Fund for Hurricane Florence relief.
The woman issued a statement to CNN through Kurland, stating that she was grateful to win the lottery but recognized her newfound responsibility to society.
“Words can’t describe the feeling of such incredible luck,” she said Thursday, according to CNN.
“I do realize that such good fortune carries a tremendous social responsibility, and it gives me a unique opportunity to assist, support and contribute to charities and causes that are close to my heart,” she added.