A National Lottery winner has revealed how her £1million prize enabled her to reconnect with her father on the other side of the world.
Maxine Tilbury, from Kettering, was "overcome with tears of joy" during an emotional three-month trip to Australia to visit her dad, Ron, who moved there when she was just 10 years old.
The 52-year-old NHS Occupational Therapist scooped the jackpot in July 2022 after playing the £30m Mega Cash Showdown game.
In January, Maxine had two custom-made hats created bearing the phrase "Dad and Daughter Road Trip, 2024" to mark their special journey together.
A National Lottery winner has revealed how her £1m prize enabled her to reconnect with her father on the other side of the world
National Lottery
Due to the vast distance between them, Maxine and her father had only been able to meet infrequently over the years.
Maxine, who spent eight weeks in Australia following her lottery win, said: "I flew first class which was a real treat, and I surprised Dad by arriving two days before New Year's Eve, 10 days before his 70th birthday."
The pair embarked on a journey exploring north and south of Perth, creating memories that Maxine said she had longed for her entire life.
Maxine said: "As we observed Orca whales on a boat trip in Bremer Bay, I was overcome with tears of joy."
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Maxine Tilbury and her father in an old photo
National Lottery
Treasuring these moments after her cancer battle, the pair camped in the bush, enjoyed tea on beaches and watched dolphins leaping through waves.
She added: "We watched sunsets together and sometimes we just sat in silence, happy in each other's company."
The journey held particular significance as Maxine's lottery win coincided with her battle with breast cancer.
She was diagnosed in November 2021, undergoing surgery and chemotherapy before her win in July 2022.
Maxine scooped the jackpot in July 2022 after playing the £30m Mega Cash Showdown game
PAMaxine said: "My time with dad also allowed me to properly process everything that had happened to me since my diagnosis.
"Wayne said when I arrived home, the real 'me' had returned."
She now plans to return to Australia soon and will be there with her father for Father's Day next month.
She added: "I am forever grateful and feel blessed for the opportunities the win has created."
