For many of the clients coming into Sidney resident William Scott Gurney乌鸦传媒檚 office, they likely would have been unaware of the life-changing bit of paper sitting in his locked desk drawer 乌鸦传媒� a winning lottery ticket for $55 million.

Gurney works as a bookkeeper and financial advisor. But rather than take the cash and run, he hunkered down and endeavoured to make it through tax season (checking the drawer every couple of days to make sure the ticket was still there).

乌鸦传媒淚 just didn乌鸦传媒檛 want to 乌鸦传媒� when I first noticed 乌鸦传媒� it was 乌鸦传媒榙o I close the doors or stay open?乌鸦传媒� But so many of the people that are my clients and friends have been with me for 20, 30 years, and it just wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 be fair to them to just throw them out on the street like that. So I made the decision to stay open through tax season and I乌鸦传媒檝e got my wonderful staff out there working.乌鸦传媒�

Gurney first bought the ticket on Feb. 28 and after checking the numbers several times in disbelief, he decided to keep it relatively secret. Residents乌鸦传媒� speculation about the identity of the mystery jackpot winner was put to rest Tuesday (April 4) when the B.C. Lottery Corporation announced Gurney had won February乌鸦传媒檚 $55 million Lotto Max jackpot prize 乌鸦传媒� the largest win on Vancouver Island.

He purchased the ticket at the Save-On-Foods location on Beacon Avenue in Sidney.

Once the busy period is over, Gurney plans on retiring and finding somebody to take over his business.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e tried to keep it small. But it was getting harder and harder when people are saying 乌鸦传媒榳e乌鸦传媒檒l see you next year.乌鸦传媒� As much as I乌鸦传媒檇 love to, I don乌鸦传媒檛 know if I want to do another tax season.乌鸦传媒�

As a financial advisor, Gurney is well positioned to handle the life-changing amount of cash that乌鸦传媒檚 coming his way and plans to follow the advice he乌鸦传媒檇 give out to any of his clients.

乌鸦传媒淭ake six months, stop. Don乌鸦传媒檛 do anything rash. Just evaluate what you want and then start going from there. Don乌鸦传媒檛 make rash decisions.乌鸦传媒�

Gurney already had a month-long trip planned this year and hopes to see as much of the world as he can, saying he乌鸦传媒檚 eyeing trips to Morocco, Turkey, and perhaps a safari.

乌鸦传媒淭here are so many amazing things out there. But every time I come home, in Sidney going on the pier, I乌鸦传媒檓 amazed by what we have here and all the tourists I meet out there.乌鸦传媒�

As far as his permanent home, he plans to stick on the Island, having moved from Regina in the 乌鸦传媒�90s, though he乌鸦传媒檒l be looking for a house with a dock as he乌鸦传媒檚 an avid crabber. He乌鸦传媒檒l think about helping out friends and family but wants to make sure the money lasts. He also plans on mulling over which charities he乌鸦传媒檇 like to donate money to, saying he has a particular fondness for the BC Children乌鸦传媒檚 Hospital and the Saanich Peninsula Hospital.

乌鸦传媒淭he funniest thing I乌鸦传媒檝e found is that 乌鸦传媒� we all dream, if we win the lottery, we乌鸦传媒檒l do this, we乌鸦传媒檒l do this, we乌鸦传媒檒l do this. I noticed you rethink that once it happens because now it乌鸦传媒檚 a possible reality.乌鸦传媒�

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