Life took a dramatic turn for Mike Weirsky, a New Jersey man who went from unemployed and recently divorced to multimillionaire almost overnight.

Just months after finalizing his divorce, Weirsky hit the jackpot — literally — by winning $273 million in the Mega Millions lottery.

A Rocky Past

Weirsky had been out of work for several years during his 15-year marriage to Eileen Murray. During that time, Murray was the primary breadwinner. In 2018, their marriage ended in divorce. As part of the settlement, Murray was ordered to pay alimony to Weirsky for five years, despite his unemployment.

“I gave him 15 years of my life,” Murray said in an interview with Inside Edition. “He’s not entitled to anything more.” She later stated she had no interest in his lottery winnings and wished him well, though she expressed frustration about still being required to pay alimony.

A Life-Changing Mistake — Almost

Just days before the March 1, 2019 Mega Millions drawing, Weirsky bought a ticket at a QuickChek in Phillipsburg, New Jersey. He accidentally left the ticket at the store, but thanks to an honest clerk who found and held it, he was able to retrieve it.

That ticket ended up being the winner.

From Struggles to Sudden Wealth

After taxes, Weirsky chose a lump sum payout of roughly $162.5 million. In interviews, he acknowledged the surreal nature of the situation: “I was down and nobody helped me. Now I’m going to be there for myself and my friends.”

The timing of the win sparked viral interest and headlines, with some outlets inaccurately claiming he won “the day after” his wife divorced him. In reality, the divorce had been finalized months prior — but the irony still resonated.

No Hard Feelings?

Despite their differences, Murray maintained she wasn’t after his money. “I have morals,” she said. “I know what I’ve worked for and it’s everything that I have.”

As for Weirsky, his plans included buying a new pickup truck, finding a better phone, and finally enjoying some freedom after years of financial hardship.