A woman says she has no regrets after letting someone
cut ahead of her in a queue for lottery tickets who went on to scoop a
$590m (£383.4m) jackpot.
Mindy Crandell, 34, insists she is not upset that her kind gesture
likely cost her the huge fortune, saying: "Things are meant to be for a
reason."Ms Crandell was queuing to purchase lottery tickets on May 18 while tending to one of her two daughters when Gloria Mackenzie, 84, stepped in front of her.
She said he 10-year-old son pointed out that a lady had stepped in front of them, but says she "didn't pay a lot of mind to it".
A staff member at the store stopped Ms Mackenzie to allow Ms Crandell to reclaim her spot in line.
But she declined the offer and told Ms Mackenzie to "go ahead".
Ms Mackenzie purchased one Quick Pick ticket and left the store.
Ms Crandell said family and friends began teasing her that the lady she allowed to cut in line was going to win the mega jackpot.
She said: "The joke was, that's the lady that's going to win it. I was like, 'Yeah right. No one is going to win from little Zephyrhills.'"
Later that night, Ms Mackenzie matched all five numbers including the Powerball.
When Mackenzie claimed the money on Wednesday, Ms Crandell's 10-year-old daughter, Mallory, immediately recognised her.
"My daughter was like, 'Mom, look at the lady. Same day, same store. What's the chances of that happening?"
Ms Mackenzie has opted for the lump sum cash payment of $370.8m (£239.9m), before taxes, instead of 30 annual payments of $19m (£12.3m), a lottery official said.
Ms Crandell says she hopes the money "truly blesses" the winner’s family, adding: "It could have been us, but things happen."
Ms Mackenzie released a statement saying that Ms Crandell was "kind enough" to allow her to jump the queue, but has declined further questions or interviews.
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