For many of the clients coming into Sidney resident William Scott Gurney鈥檚 office, they likely would have been unaware of the life-changing bit of paper sitting in his locked desk drawer 鈥� a winning lottery ticket for $55 million.
Gurney works as a bookkeeper and financial advisor. But rather than take the cash and run, he hunkered down and endeavoured to make it through tax season (checking the drawer every couple of days to make sure the ticket was still there).
鈥淚 just didn鈥檛 want to 鈥� when I first noticed 鈥� it was 鈥榙o I close the doors or stay open?鈥� But so many of the people that are my clients and friends have been with me for 20, 30 years, and it just wouldn鈥檛 be fair to them to just throw them out on the street like that. So I made the decision to stay open through tax season and I鈥檝e got my wonderful staff out there working.鈥�
Gurney first bought the ticket on Feb. 28 and after checking the numbers several times in disbelief, he decided to keep it relatively secret. Residents鈥� speculation about the identity of the mystery jackpot winner was put to rest Tuesday (April 4) when the B.C. Lottery Corporation announced Gurney had won February鈥檚 $55 million Lotto Max jackpot prize 鈥� the largest win on Vancouver Island.
He purchased the ticket at the Save-On-Foods location on Beacon Avenue in Sidney.
Once the busy period is over, Gurney plans on retiring and finding somebody to take over his business.
鈥淚鈥檝e tried to keep it small. But it was getting harder and harder when people are saying 鈥榳e鈥檒l see you next year.鈥� As much as I鈥檇 love to, I don鈥檛 know if I want to do another tax season.鈥�
As a financial advisor, Gurney is well positioned to handle the life-changing amount of cash that鈥檚 coming his way and plans to follow the advice he鈥檇 give out to any of his clients.
鈥淭ake six months, stop. Don鈥檛 do anything rash. Just evaluate what you want and then start going from there. Don鈥檛 make rash decisions.鈥�
Gurney already had a month-long trip planned this year and hopes to see as much of the world as he can, saying he鈥檚 eyeing trips to Morocco, Turkey, and perhaps a safari.
鈥淭here are so many amazing things out there. But every time I come home, in Sidney going on the pier, I鈥檓 amazed by what we have here and all the tourists I meet out there.鈥�
As far as his permanent home, he plans to stick on the Island, having moved from Regina in the 鈥�90s, though he鈥檒l be looking for a house with a dock as he鈥檚 an avid crabber. He鈥檒l think about helping out friends and family but wants to make sure the money lasts. He also plans on mulling over which charities he鈥檇 like to donate money to, saying he has a particular fondness for the BC Children鈥檚 Hospital and the Saanich Peninsula Hospital.
鈥淭he funniest thing I鈥檝e found is that 鈥� we all dream, if we win the lottery, we鈥檒l do this, we鈥檒l do this, we鈥檒l do this. I noticed you rethink that once it happens because now it鈥檚 a possible reality.鈥�
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