Woman Donates Jacket to Charity, Forgetting $2.5 Million Lottery Ticket in Pocket
April 2, 2025 – In a twist of fate that blends generosity with gut-wrenching irony, a Pennsylvania woman is scrambling to recover a jacket she donated to a local charity after realizing it contained a winning lottery ticket worth $2.5 million. The story, which has captured national attention, unfolded this week when the unnamed woman, a resident of Erie County, made what she thought was a routine donation—only to discover hours later that she had inadvertently given away a life-changing fortune.
The saga began last Friday when the woman, described by neighbors as a kind-hearted single mother, decided to declutter her home ahead of spring. Among the items she gathered was an old winter jacket, which she dropped off at a Goodwill donation center in Erie. “I just wanted to help someone who needed it more,” she told local station WSEE-TV in an interview, her voice trembling with disbelief. “I never imagined it would cost me millions.”
It wasn’t until Saturday morning, while sorting through receipts and papers, that she stumbled upon a Pennsylvania Lottery ticket she’d purchased weeks earlier at a gas station on Peach Street. A quick check of the numbers online confirmed her worst fear: the ticket, bearing the winning combination for the March 28 Cash 5 drawing, was a $2.5 million jackpot winner. Panic set in as she recalled slipping the ticket into the jacket’s pocket for safekeeping—a decision she now regrets.
“I tore through my house looking for it, thinking maybe I’d moved it,” she said. “Then it hit me: the jacket was gone.” By then, the Goodwill donation bin had been emptied, and her prize was somewhere in the charity’s vast distribution network—or worse, already in the hands of an unsuspecting new owner.
The Pennsylvania Lottery confirmed the win but noted that no one has yet come forward to claim the prize, which has a one-year redemption window from the drawing date. Lottery spokesperson Evelyn Carter urged the winner to act quickly, saying, “We see cases like this occasionally, but it’s rare for a ticket to end up in a donation. She needs to contact Goodwill and file a claim with us as soon as possible.”
Goodwill Industries of Northwestern Pennsylvania responded swiftly, launching an internal search through its Erie facilities. “We process thousands of items daily, so it’s a bit like finding a needle in a haystack,” said regional manager Tom Carver. “But we’re doing everything we can to locate the jacket and reunite it with its owner.” Carver added that if the jacket has already been sold or redistributed, tracking it down could prove nearly impossible, as Goodwill doesn’t keep detailed records of individual items post-donation.
Legal experts weigh in with mixed optimism. “If she can prove ownership of the ticket—say, with a receipt or surveillance footage from the purchase—it strengthens her case,” said Pittsburgh-based attorney Lisa Marconi. “But if someone else finds and claims it first, Pennsylvania law generally favors the bearer of a winning ticket, unless fraud is involved.” The woman has enlisted a lawyer and plans to scour Goodwill stores and warehouses, though she admits the odds feel stacked against her.
The story has sparked a wave of sympathy—and some amusement—across social media, with posts on X calling it “the ultimate charity plot twist” and “a lesson in checking your pockets.” Others have speculated about the lucky stranger who might stumble upon the windfall. “Imagine buying a $5 jacket and finding $2.5 million inside,” one user mused. “It’s like a movie script.”
For now, the woman’s identity remains private as she navigates the emotional rollercoaster of hope and despair. “I keep thinking about what that money could’ve done for my family,” she said, her voice breaking. “A better home, college for my kids. Now it’s just gone.” She’s appealing to the public for help, asking anyone who may have purchased a secondhand jacket from Goodwill in Erie recently to check the pockets.
As the search continues, this tale serves as a poignant reminder to double-check donations—and perhaps a cautionary nudge to keep lottery tickets in a safer spot. Whether the jacket resurfaces with its million-dollar secret intact or becomes a legend of lost fortune, it’s a story that’s left Erie buzzing and the nation watching, waiting to see if charity’s unintended cost can be undone.