SURREY - Dereje Kinfe and his wife Hiwot are Ethiopia-bound after winning the $5-million jackpot on the Jan. 4 Lotto 6/49 draw.
The 44-year-old Surrey man, who works at Vancouver International Airport, bought his ticket before starting his work shift and checked it at a 7-Eleven store the next day.When he saw the screen load up with all kinds of zeroes, he let out a small scream."People began crowding around and congratulating me," Kinfe said.Then it was time to tell his wife."I always told her, 'One day I'm going to win big and then I will come to your work and tell you,'" he said.Hiwot began to shake when she saw him outside the salon where she works."He couldn't wipe the smile off his face and I knew he had won something," she said.The couple plans to pay off their mortgage, but first on their agenda was a trip back to their native Ethiopia, to share their good news with family and friends.tzytaruk@thenownewspaper.com