What a break! Man’s fall leads to hospital lottery pool win

STRATFORD, N.J. — A New Jersey man walking to buy a lottery ticket for this week’s massive Mega Millions jackpot fell and broke his hip, but the trip to the hospital turned into his lucky break.

WCAU-TV reports 87-year-old Earl Livingston was invited to join the hospital staff’s lottery pool, which included a winning $1 million Mega Millions ticket.

Livingston’s niece, Bobbie Mickle, says Livingston told staff he was disappointed about not getting a ticket so they invited him to join the pool with 141 other people.

Livingston will need a hip replacement, but he says he’s thankful. Mickle says she first thought her uncle was confused when he said he won, but staff later confirmed his story.