A retired truck driver from east San Diego who became a millionaire after winning the California Lucky Life Scratchers lottery game never got the chance to spend his winnings, as he died just months after striking it rich, his family tells NBC 7.
In spring 2014, La Mesa resident Kevin Boson bought a winning Lucky Life Scratchers ticket for $5 at a 7-Eleven store located at 7602 University Ave. in La Mesa. When Kevin scratched off the lotto ticket, it revealed he had won big -- $3.25 million, to be exact.
“I couldn’t believe when I scratched off to reveal the ‘LIFE’ symbol,” the newly-minted millionaire told California Lottery officials at the time.
Kevin then happily posed for a photograph for the California Lottery with his winning check, smiling from ear-to-ear at his good fortune.
Kevin initially told California Lottery officials he thought he might spread out his millions over the next few decades by taking the lottery’s annuity option, which was to pay him $2,500 per week for the next 25 years.
He dreamed of buying a second home with the winnings, and paying off a car he had recently purchased.
But Kevin’s time as a millionaire was cut tragically short.
Kevin’s brother, David Boson, reached out to NBC 7 this week to reveal Kevin had passed away just months after winning the lottery.
David said Kevin died of heart and kidney failure shortly after his big win.
Before his passing, Kevin had ultimately decided to take his Scratchers winnings in a lump sum instead of the annuity option, which came out to a payout of about $1.6 million.
After Kevin died, David said the state of California put his lotto funds in probate.
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That probate hold ended a few weeks ago, and the check was finally sent to Kevin’s father. David said his father put the funds in an account that will accrue interest, to be withdrawn from by the family later on.
Despite the passing of time, David said his family continues to mourn the sad, sudden loss of their loved one.
“We’re still dealing with it. I don’t think we’ll ever really get over it,” he told NBC 7.
Prior to Kevin’s big win, he had gotten lucky with the lottery in the past. Kevin had won $2,000 on a Daily 4 ticket once, as well as $1,000 on another California Lottery Scratchers ticket. The avid lottery player said he often shopped around for tickets, not only sticking to one store, but going to lots of different stores across San Diego County.
