Desiree Fortini-Craft won $25 million in a state lottery. (Credit: Massachusetts State Lottery)
A Massachusetts mother won $25 million in a lottery prize and said she plans to use the money to help her children pay off their student loans.
Desiree Fortini-Craft of Hyde Park won the money as part of the Massachusetts State Lottery’s "Billion Dollar Extravaganza" $50 instant game. She was the third person to win the grand prize of $25 million.
Fortini-Craft joined her fiancé, Jason Perkins, in accepting her earnings.
She chose to take the one-time payment of $16,250,000 (before taxes).
This browser does not support the Video element.
Student loan payments resume after pause
LiveNOW from FOX | Raw & unfiltered news
The mother said, in addition to helping her children with student loans for her three daughters, she wants to enjoy life and have a Christmas in Aruba. She also plans to make some other big family purchases, including buying a new car.
RELATED: Iowa Lottery posts wrong Powerball numbers — but mistaken winners can keep winnings
Fortini-Craft purchased her scratch-off ticket at Baker Street Market, 419 Baker St. in West Roxbury. She said she scratched it off a few weeks ago and stored it in a secure place. She claimed her prize after recently coming back from a trip to Aruba.
The store will receive a $50,000 bonus for its sale of this ticket.
Fortini-Craft has been a lottery winner before. She won a $1 million prize in 2006.
This story was reported from Los Angeles.