Senior citizen is delighted with mega lottery win, but what happens next leaves her in despair

Pennsylvania (USA) - Luck and misfortune were very close together here: A woman from the US state of Pennsylvania initially won a promising lottery ticket, but only a short time later she lost it.

76-year-old Mildred Simoneriluto could hardly believe her luck when she bought a lottery ticket in May last year that promised a prize of 2.5 million US dollars (the equivalent of around 2.3 million euros).

But the joy was short-lived, as the elderly lady soon realized that the ticket could no longer be found.

As the New York Post reports, Mildred Simoneriluto then tried to retrace her steps, as it is impossible to withdraw the winnings without a ticket.

Desperate, she realized that she had put the lottery ticket in a jacket and donated it to a charity for American veterans. The worst thing about it: Simoneriluto only put the ticket in her jacket pocket so that she wouldn't forget where it was.

The senior citizen is angry about her own actions and is now frantically trying to find her jacket again because she is running out of time!

Despite pleading and memorizing her winning numbers, the staff at the store where she bought the ticket are unable to help her without the ticket.

Simoneriluto is now hoping that helpful people will return the lucky ticket to her if it turns up in a jacket pocket.

She only has a few weeks left, until May 8 to be precise, to redeem the ticket and collect her prize. Otherwise it will expire.