Man gives away huge $40million lottery win after heartbreaking family tragedy

A lottery winner has decided to give away his $40 million prize to charity for a reason close to his heart.

Tom Crist, a Canadian CEO, donated his staggering winnings to a cancer charity in memory of his late wife, Janice Crist.

Janice sadly died after a six-year long battle with cancer in February 2012, with her husband handing over part of his winnings to the Tom Baker Cancer Center in Calgary, Canada.

Crist said about his late wife: “She’d be happy. I know she’s up there looking down on us, she was all about giving. She was kind of the hub of the family.”

Speaking about the moment he found out he had won the lottery prize, he explained: “I got the call on my cell and I just excused myself to take the call, and it was Western Canada Lottery in Winnipeg that said I’d won this prize.

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"I was speechless obviously, I didn’t know what to say…it was a very short conversation,” Crist told Global News at the time.

“I hung up the phone, went and had lunch, played golf and to be honest with you that was back in May and I haven’t really thought much about it until yesterday when everything started.”

Crist didn’t tell a soul of his mega winnings, including his four children and six grandchildren.

He said: “I guess that’s just me, that’s who I am. It was no big deal, I just never thought about it much.

"I didn’t know how to deal with it because I didn’t want to be in the media.”

His children back their Dad's generous decision to donate the prize fund to a cause close to their hearts.

Son Dallas Crist said: “I’m pretty proud of him, I wish I was half the man he is. It’s incredible what he’s doing, it’s $40 million.

“It just kind of blows my mind. I’m excited for him, if my mom was alive she’d do the exact same thing.”