Man Wins Fortune in Mega Millions After Bird Crashes into His Window

The $90 million winner from Hudson County, New Jersey, was sitting at home the night of the last Sunday in November. All well, nothing awry. But only until 11 PM, when a bird torpedoed his window with great force, startling the future winner. He claims to have known something was coming for him, just not what. “I was up hoping for something. Then — whomp — a bird hit my window.” he says.

A Game Changer

His regular game is New Jersey Pick 4, but on this day he decided to use a different route. “I finished work, came in, and played the Mega and used all of my numbers,” he told officials. The numbers had very special meaning to the winner, landmarks of life memories and milestones. Accordingly, he has been anticipating this moment for a long time. Shows us how a flash in the pan decision can change fortunes drastically  — and permanently — sometimes

After logistics are through with, the winner will take home $42.9 million, and claims it will allow his family to be financially free. He also added something we don’t see too often from lottery winners. “I want to be careful. I don’t want this to change my life.” It’s true that drastic lifestyle changes can cause unwanted consequences like culture shock and alienation, which the winner is wise to be wary of in the face of a sudden impact. Too bad the bird didn’t take this advice.

The Mega Millions Drawing

The numbers drawn were 17, 25, 26, 53, 60, and the Mega Ball 16. The winner matched them all and won the jackpot.

Hours after the winged beast struck his window, the Mega Millions drawing took place. Despite entering the drawing, the winner remained unaware that he had won, let alone the size of the prize. It became known in the area that somebody had won the jackpot after purchasing a Mega Millions ticket at Garden State News, Bergenline Avenue, Union City. He remained as oblivious to his new fortune as the bird was to its imminent misfortune.

He claims that “People were all about asking ‘Who do you think won the prize?’” and that he simply stood there, “watching and sipping my coffee.” Meanwhile, the store clerk that sold the ticket graciously waited for the milling crowd to thin out before showing the anonymous winner that they had won. The clerk claims that “They still didn’t believe it. Then they cried.”

Good News for Union City

Krish Patel, who owns Garden State News, got a tidy $30,000 bonus for selling this winning ticket, claiming this turn of events is “great for the player, us, and the community.” Union City has seen nine lottery wins ranging from $10,000 to $260,000 over the years. Four of those winning tickets were sold at Bergenline Avenue.

Praising the outcome, New Jersey Lottery Executive Director James Carey says that "retailers are the heart and soul of our business.” It’s reported that 2025 earned almost $200 million from ticket sales in the forms of bonuses and commissions. For instance, the December 2 drawing made $5 million in sales, and more than $2 million of this is funneled back into the public employee pension fund of the state.

Enter the Next Mega Millions Drawing

Whether or not your window was assaulted by a feathered reptile, the Mega Millions drawings roll on. They take place every Tuesday and Friday, and you can get your tickets at your local authorized lottery retailer, or online in many states.