From Scratch to Scholarship: How One Mom’s Lottery Win Is Paying Off Her Daughters’ Futures

When Desiree Fortini-Craft scratched off her lottery ticket and saw the winning numbers, she didn’t think about luxury vacations or flashy cars. Her first thought was of her daughters.

The Hyde Park mom recently became the third person to win the top $25 million prize in the Massachusetts State Lottery’s Billion Dollar Extravaganza game — the largest instant prize ever offered in the state. And rather than spending it all on herself, she’s using the money to do something much closer to her heart: give her daughters a debt-free future.

“I just want to take care of them,” Fortini-Craft said with emotion in her voice. “They’ve worked so hard and carried a lot of student loan debt. Now I can lift that weight off their shoulders.”

A Life-Changing Scratch Ticket

It all started with a routine stop at the Baker Street Market in West Roxbury. Fortini-Craft picked up a $50 scratch ticket, not thinking much of it. But when she revealed the prize beneath the silver film, her world changed instantly.

She was holding the winning ticket for a $25 million jackpot.

After the initial shock wore off, she chose to take the lump sum payment of $16.25 million before taxes. And almost immediately, she knew exactly where some of that money was going — toward paying off all three of her daughters’ student loans.

“It’s every parent’s dream, right?” she said. “To give your kids a better life.”

Giving Back to Family

Fortini-Craft, who describes herself as a proud mother first and foremost, said that supporting her children has always been her biggest priority. With this unexpected windfall, she’s able to do that in ways she once only dreamed about.

In addition to paying off the student debt, she plans to buy a new car and take care of other family needs — but she’s not making any extravagant purchases. Her focus remains firmly on making life a little easier for the people she loves.

“I don’t need much,” she added. “I just want to enjoy life with my family and take care of the ones who’ve always been there for me.”

A Second Shot at Luck

Remarkably, this isn’t Fortini-Craft’s first brush with lottery luck. Back in 2006, she won a $1 million prize — a moment she still remembers fondly. But this $25 million win is on an entirely different level, and it comes at a time when she says it will make the biggest impact.

“Lightning really struck twice,” she laughed. “I’m still in shock. It doesn’t feel real.”

A Win for the Local Store Too

The lucky ticket was sold at Baker Street Market, which will receive a $50,000 bonus from the Massachusetts Lottery for selling the prizewinner. The store’s owner, who has known Fortini-Craft for years as a loyal customer, was thrilled to hear the news.

“She’s a wonderful person,” he said. “It couldn’t have happened to someone more deserving.”

More Than Just Money

What makes Fortini-Craft’s story so special isn’t just the size of the prize — it’s how she’s using it. In a world where lottery winners often make headlines for lavish spending or wild stories, hers is a quiet, powerful reminder of the difference financial stability can make when shared with the people who matter most.

She hasn’t ruled out a family vacation someday — maybe somewhere warm, with sunshine and no Wi-Fi — but for now, she’s focused on celebrating this blessing and planning for the future.

“I feel incredibly lucky, yes — but more than that, I feel grateful,” Fortini-Craft said. “Grateful to be able to help my girls, to breathe a little easier, and to enjoy life’s moments with the people I love most.”

Looking Ahead

As the story of Fortini-Craft’s win spreads across Massachusetts, it’s striking a chord with parents, students, and anyone who’s ever dreamed of what they’d do if luck finally found them.

And while $25 million is certainly life-changing, it’s what she plans to do with it — lifting her children up and giving them a stronger foundation — that makes this win truly priceless.