Six members of the same family and four other colleagues had quite a surprise when they saw luck favor them.
“Here, we have been making tombstones and funeral monuments for 42 years,” explains Gordon Bronson, the group’s leader. My two boys work with me, my daughter too, my brother and his boy. We started buying tickets as a group two years ago. We bought them every month and so far, we’re very lucky!”
Initially, Gordon Bronson’s reaction was rather mixed.
“I picked up the tickets at the Proprio Amis convenience store in Stanstead and like every two weeks, I went to the cash register and the manager told me that I had won $100,000. I was happy, I thought we were going to receive $10,000 each since there are ten of us in the group. That’s when he told me that I had won $100,000 alone and that the others had also won $100,000. I couldn’t believe it. I went to pick up some donuts and took my break! Then that’s when I thought of signing the ticket quickly and then announcing the good news to others, shop.”
Gordon Bronson and his daughter Tamara Bronson are planning a family party to celebrate. (Maxime Picard/La Tribune)
“I am there every time and I always validate Mr. Bronson’s tickets,” confirms the manager of the convenience store, Nicolas Lemay, who saw the owner pocket 1% of the amount, that is to say $10,000. I had to insist that he understand that he had become richer than he thought. When he left the convenience store, I think he still hadn’t realized it. Now I expect more people to come to me to buy tickets, since I brought good luck to the group! For my part, I may receive a small bonus, but I don’t expect anything!”
The reaction from family members and colleagues was the same as that of Gordon Bronson.
“I gave everyone two dollars and told them we won a free ticket too. But I asked everyone to come see me in the cafeteria afterwards, one by one, and that’s when I announced the good news. Nobody believed me. However, I told Tamara first. I had to talk to someone about it.”
“When Gordon showed me the ticket, I had the same reaction as him, I thought we were going to split $100,000 between ten people,” admits Tamara. When he said it was $100,000 each I didn’t believe him. I thought he was making that up. I started to believe him when he told the guys. They all left to find their tickets and they all had them a few minutes later. At the same time, they found themselves in the convenience store to have it validated!”
The heart was celebrating when receiving the check for a million dollars. (Maxime Picard/La Tribune)
Ogden Granite has twelve employees. Two of them were not in the group.
“They came to see me to be part of the group by taking a chance, I told them that it was perhaps too late,” says Gordon Bronson, disappointed for his two colleagues. I invited our two friends to join us next month though. We didn’t want to rub salt in the wound, that’s why they’re not here today. We don’t want to annoy them with that…”
For the moment, the projects are few in number.
“It’s not a hundred million dollars, but it gives a good cushion in life: I’m going to put the money down and think about all that,” says Joshua Bronson. Time will do things right, I will let the future decide. My girlfriend just turned 40, maybe we’ll go to the South to celebrate. My father always thought we were going to win, but I didn’t. That’s why I didn’t believe him at first.”
The group leader will also wait for the dust to settle before making decisions about how to spend their money.
“I think the news got around Stanstead, Beebe and Ogden faster than the time it took me to get my ticket validated at the convenience store! Maybe I’ll have some ideas when I get the money. On the other hand, I never thought about retiring, so I don’t think I will retire any sooner. It’s not for now anyway!”
