It turned out the numbers she saw in the Fresno Bee actually came from a previous drawing. But some local companies have been able to put a smile back on her face.
Crews peeling off layers of old roofing material discovered several holes in Elida Betancourt's roof.
The 69-year old Parlier woman watched from the street. She was amazed companies would do this work for free. Betancourt said, "oh it makes me feel really, really good because I couldn't afford it."
In September Elida's Mega Millions lottery ticket matched dated numbers mistakenly printed in the newspaper. She didn't win.
Fresno Bee publisher Will Fleet told his neighbor Mike Firpo about her heart-breaking story. Firpo heads the ABC Supply company. Firpo explained, "I just saw this lady on an emotional rollercoaster from highs to lows and figured, you know what, we need to step up and take care of her."
Firpo reached out to Ryan Lee of Allstate Roofing who quickly made time for this special project. Lee said, "this was someone that not only needs it but we can do this to put a smile back with all the heartache she's gone through with the loss of her husband and then the fact she thought she won the lottery."
Betancourt's husband Oscar died in July.
Not only are Allstate Roofing and ABC Supply donating a new roof, they're also putting in new gutters and siding at Elida's home.
Rod's Raingutters will handle the gutter work.
Last week's storm reminded Elida how badly a new roof was needed. She said, "when it rained the other time, only the back room that we had, I had water all over the floor."
Lee described the project as, "kind of a mini-Extreme Makeover."
