Beaverlodge man wins $70 million, plans to honour late wife

BEAVERLODGE, ALTA. — Beaverlodge resident Brian Hoover plans to use some of the $70 million he won from the January 16th Lotto Max draw to honour his late wife. 

According to the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC), Hoover purchased the ticket from Ace Hardware in Beaverlodge, winning by matching all seven draw numbers.

Hoover and his late wife had a long-time inside joke and a shared dream of winning the lottery.

His wife passed before they could share the dream, but after he won the largest Lotto Max prize available in Canada, he said he’d commemorate his wife.

“This is bittersweet for me,” Hoover said at his prize claim interview. 

“We always talked about what we would do if we won the lottery. I’m determined to bring some of those ideas to life in her memory.”

He is just starting to plan what he wants to do with his winnings, but the general hope is to help the community.

“We had three children, and my wife was heavily invested in their lives,” Hoover said. 

“She liked to take them to parks, any park. My first thought is to have a park named for her.”

Hoover is also looking into sponsoring programs for local schools but said that is just the beginning.

“These are all such fresh thoughts,” Hoover said.  “I want to make sure I do good things. Using this money and investing in her memory is a way to share this win with her.”

WCLC said Hoover is focusing on honouring his wife, but he is also thinking of his family.

“I want to help my family – I’m going to pay off a couple of mortgages and give some money to a few people. After that, I’m going to look at something for myself,” Hoover explained. 

“I have a friend who lives in the Yukon who’s been asking me to visit. I’m thinking it would be nice to drive up in a classy motorhome.”