'Modest' retired fisherman claims $13,805,045 jackpot in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia’s newest millionaire is certainly a modest one.

Today, 77-year-old Leon Hirtle picked up his $13,805,045 cheque at Bridgewater Curling Club after winning the Lotto 6/49 jackpot on October 1.

Hirtle, who lives in Bell Island, told reporters that he wasn’t in a rush to pick up the cheque — he waited two weeks to do so — and that he doesn’t expect the windfall to change the simple way he lives his life.

“I’m quite content the way I am. If I had won $1,000, I’d be satisfied,” the retired fisherman said.

Hirtle, who turns 78 on Sunday, never married and has no children. He plans on sharing his winnings younger siblings, two of whom he lives with, and his nieces and their children. He also plans to use some of the money to renovate the home he’s lived in for 45 years.

“There’s not a lot for a fellow my age to do with the money,” Hirtle said. “But I have nieces and they have children so I figure I’ll help the family out.”

“I’ll have a lot left over. I’ll be able to buy an ice cream cone,” he added.

Hirtle joked with the Cape Breton Post that a limo ride or two might also be fun — he doesn’t drive — and that he might have to celebrate with a Happy Meal.

"He’s a nice man, a real nice man. He’d help anybody that he can — he always did. Anything that he could do he would do for you," Hirtle’s youngest brother, Frank, told CTV News.

"He’s calm and casual. Same as always," Hirtle’s niece, Trudy Corkum, told CBC News.

"He’s nice, he’s kind, he would do anything for you. Worked all of his life, looked after the house and everybody so he deserves it."

Hirtle told reporters that he will continue buying lottery tickets.

Hirtle previously won $1,000 from Atlantic Lotto — about 30 years ago.

Hirtle’s story is just one in a run of happy lottery stories we’ve seen so far this year.

Yesterday, we shared the story of an Oregon man who kept his childhood promise to split any lottery winnings with his brother. Eric Hale shared his $1 million Powerball jackpot with his shocked brother, Quinn.

“This is beyond cool. I never believed he would actually do it,” Quinn told lottery officials.

Last month, a Danish dad broke the news of his lottery win to his sons very slowly. By the time all was revealed, the teenagers were completely overwhelmed.

We also shared the story of a Minnesota waitress who won the lottery and vowed to keep working.

"I don’t think it’s going to change our life that much," Joe and Rhonda Meath told the Star Tribune.

In February, a man played the lottery with his late wife’s lucky numbers — and won. With the $77,922, David Greeson, 51, planned to travel to some of the important places he and his wife visited during their marriage.

And last year, a Hungarian homeless man became a millionaire thanks to a lottery win. He used a large portion of his winnings to establish a foundation for addicts and victims of domestic abuse.

What would you do if you won the lottery?