Window installer wins $19M lotto

Thursday, April 12, 2007 posted 10:37 AM EDT

It's freedom 55 time for Toronto's richest window installer, Dionisio Massa, who plans to throw in his ladder and learn how to relax.

Massa, 55, who lives in the city's west-end, struck paydirt in a $19.4-million Lotto 6/49 win.

The father of two plans to take it easy, buy a larger house in another downtown neighbourhood and visit family in his native Portugal.

"I feel blessed. This is freedom 55," the self-employed installer said yesterday as he picked up his cheque at the Ontario lottery building, on Dundas St. W. "I am going to live one day at a time."

Married to Maria for 31 years, he plans to share the wealth with his children and four grandchildren. "We have a large family and we plan to help them," Massa said. "It is a different feeling now."

He said he spends "one or two dollars a week" on the lottery, which he's been playing since arriving in Canada from Portugal in 1976.

Massa purchased the quick pick at a store in the Dundas St. W.-Brock Ave. area. He and Maria couldn't believe their good fortune when their numbers came up. "We couldn't speak after learning we had won," he said. "We were numb. We had to verify the ticket a couple of times."

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