Westmoreland County woman wins $1 million Pennsylvania Lottery scratch-off ticket

A Westmoreland County woman is (almost) a millionaire after buying a winning Pennsylvania Lottery scratch-off ticket.

Diane Babbin never thought she’d see the day when she’d win big.

“No. No,” Babbin told reporters. “Nope.”

But, after years of playing Pennsylvania Lottery scratch-offs, that day finally came.

“I didn’t even scan the ticket at first because I was like, it’s not real,” Babbin recalled. “It can’t even be real.”

Babbin’s mom, Laura LeBlanc, was the one who got the “Millionaire Maker” scratch-off ticket at the Latrobe Shop n’ Save.

Babbin sent her there to get a thermometer for her son who was sick.

She also said to get two $20 scratch-off tickets.

Her mom started scratching them off in the store instead of waiting to get home.

“She called and was like, “I won! You need to come get me,” Babbin said.

She hadn’t even realized yet just how much they won.

LeBlanc didn’t scratch off the bonus square.

Babbin did that, and the next moment was just pure shock.

“I started shaking really bad,” LeBlanc said. “I felt like I was just going to collapse.”

Babbin said she was relieved after winning this money.

She’s a single mom of two high school kids. Her daughter is getting ready to go to college.

On top of rent for her family and taking care of her parents, life gets expensive.

“No more worries,” Babbin said. “I don’t have to worry about food and clothes and housing and heat or electricity, or school, glasses, any of it.”

And in all of the excitement on the day they won that million-dollar prize -- they forgot one thing.

“Still need to buy a thermometer, though,” Babbin said.

Babbin, when asked if she will continue to work her day job as a Certified Nursing Assistant, said “Absolutely.”

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