Missouri Nurses Donate $10,000 Mega Millions Lottery Winnings to Co-Workers in Need

After a group of more than 100 Missouri nurses won $10,000 playing the Mega Millions lottery, they decided to donate their shares to two of their colleagues who were most in need. 

Mercy Children's Hospital nurse Gretchen Post's son recently took his own life, while neonatologist Casey Orellana's husband is fighting cancer. So their co-workers decided to do something special for them, presenting them with the winnings from the lotto pool for October's massive drawing.

After taxes, the group took home $7,200, which would have amounted to $56 a person. Instead, they split it in two and gave one half to Post and the other to Orellana. 

"I know it's not the $1.6 billion dollars but here is what we have to offer you, hopefully it'll help," nurse Stephanie Brinkman told the pair as they were presented with the check. Local station KMOV captured the touching moment.

Post's 17-year-old son Jack died the night of the Oct. 23 drawing in question. "It's actually going to pay for Jack's funeral, which I'm very grateful for," she said. 

Orellana's husband, Phil, hasn't been able to work since July as he deals with a number of health issues, including cancer. 

"When I got that phone call, it was a day I was wondering how we were going to pay for certain medications and it just touches your heart," said Orellana.

"You know we wouldn't have it any other way," said Brinkman.

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