The policeman gave the waitress half of his 6 million winnings: the story is amazing

Policeman shared winning lottery ticket with waitress/Collage by Radio MAXIMUM

A waitress who received the “world's most valuable tip” from a police detective who won $6 million in the lottery thought it was a bad joke when he told her on April Fool's Day.

NYPD Detective Robert Cunningham was a familiar face at Sal's Pizzeria in Yonkers for eight years, where Phyllis Penzo served tables six nights a week for an impressive 24 years. Little did she know that on April 1, 1984, she would become a millionaire, writes The Daily Star.

It was another evening when Cunningham, who was about to pay the bill for his usual linguini and clam sauce, made Penzo impulsive offer.

Hey Phil, I've got a lottery ticket in my pocket. Why don't we divide it?
– he declared.

They chose three numbers together. And, as it turned out later, this combination of numbers turned out to be a winner.

What happened next was nothing more than a stroke of fate. At dawn on April Fool's Day, Cunningham called Penzo and told her the news that would change her life.

“I just won $6 million,” he said, promising her half. fortune.

But Penzo, still sleep-deprived, took it as a joke at first until Cunningham reassured her, which caused euphoria to reverberate through her home.

Waitress Receives Shocking Tip/Photo benzoix

With 30 years of law enforcement experience and a modest salary of $30,000, he never hesitated in his decision to share his unexpected wealth.

I was a simple person all my life. If I say I will do something, I do it. I hope money will never change me,
he said at the time.

Even his wife, Gina, was in solidarity with his decision.

I told her that I have a partner and we share everything in half. That's all. This is how our family works,
– he recalls.

The huge winnings allowed Cunningham to expand his house and accommodate a large family in it, while Penzo planned to buy her own house. But amid their newfound wealth, both Cunningham and Penzo had no illusions about giving up their jobs.

“I love my job. I play it to the hilt. I always have.” , – he says.

The crazy story turned into a hit movie “Could this happen to you?” starring Nicolas Cage. In it, Cage's character, a police officer, orders a pizza and promises the waitress half of his winnings if his lottery ticket wins. He wins and fulfills his promise, giving her 2 million dollars.