Couple who fled war wins hospitals' Dream Lottery

The London Free Press
Thu, June 26, 2008

By JOE MATYAS, SUN MEDIA

A couple who fled the killing fields of Cambodia more than two decades ago became instant millionaires today when they won the London hospitals Dream Lottery.

Vorn Mak and his wife Soeur Nhek said they were speechless when notified by telephone that they had won the $1.3 million grand prize. After the news sunk in, “we’re were jumping up and down” with joy and hugging each other, she said.

Vorn Mak has worked as a cleaner at the downtown Hilton Hotel for about 15 years and Soeur Nhek works as a Pennysaver flyer inserter at the London Free Press.

The couple came to London as refugees about 21 years ago after fleeing the violence of the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia.

“The war was very bad and we were lucky to get away from it,” Von Mak said.

The couple won a grand prize that included a $650,000 Wasko home in the Buttonbush subdivision near Colonel Talbot and Southdale roads, $204,000 in furniture, appliances and electronic goods and a $55,000 BMW vehicle.

But they said they’ve chosen the cash option of $1.1 million, the largest cash prize in the history of the charity lottery that supports the London Health Sciences Centre, St. Joseph’s Health Care and Children’s Health Foundation.

The winners said they were going to take their time to decide what to do with the money before they make any life-changing decisions.

Rita Fieder, Dream Lottery coordinator said “it has been a very good year for the lottery. We’ve raised more than $1 million for the hospitals.”