It was a special $1 million birthday present delivered to 琉璃神社 resident David McLeod.

McLeod bought a winning Lotto 6/49 ticket for the May 17 draw, which was on his birthday.

鈥淚t was a great birthday present,鈥� McLeod conceded.

He was visiting his mom in Dawson Creek when he stopped at a Safeway Gas Bar in the northern B.C. community to fuel up.

鈥淚 had $20 in my pocket so I decided to buy a ticket in the spur of the moment,鈥� McLeod recalled.

鈥淲hen I heard that someone had won the $1 million, I checked my ticket and it was me. I texted the picture of the validation slip to my wife to confirm what I was seeing.鈥�

McLeod, who is a KFC fast food operator in 琉璃神社, picked up his winnings Monday at the Lotto headquarters in Kamloops, and has some initial ideas about what to do with the money.

He plans to pay off his mortgage and set aside some money to pay for his two daughters to pursue their post-secondary education plans.

A member of the Ogopogo Rotary Club, McLeod said he also wants to make a donation to Rotary International鈥檚 charitable initiatives.

鈥淏eyond that we鈥檒l see where we go from there,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a little worrisome in that I don鈥檛 want to be one of those people who have money one minute and it鈥檚 gone the next.鈥�

But having watched others step forward to claim significant winnings, McLeod admitted it 鈥渇eels pretty good鈥� to be called into the lottery winner鈥檚 circle.

鈥淚t鈥檚 great but it鈥檚 a little hard to believe as well,鈥� he said.