‘Thank you, Jesus!’ - Woman wins Lotto millions after Hurricane Melissa destroyed her home

When Hurricane Melissa tore through Jamaica last October, it shattered Ms A West's entire world.

The dangerous Category 5 hurricane destroyed the house she had built over years, and the small livelihood she depended on to survive.

What remained was a broken structure, scattered memories, and an uncertain future. Some nights, with nowhere else to turn, she slept inside the damaged shell of what used to be her house -- clinging to faith in the middle of devastation.

"I lost everything in Melissa, furniture, clothes, everything and I didn't know where to start to pick up back my life," said the Westmoreland-based woman.

For months, survival depended on the kindness of others, and the fragile hope that life could somehow change.

Then, in what she describes as nothing short of divine intervention, that change came. Three months after the storm left her with nothing, the long-time Lotto player saw her darkest chapter interrupted by an unexpected miracle -- a $71-million jackpot win in January.

Overwhelmed by the sudden reversal of fortune, West said the moment felt like an answer to silent prayers whispered in despair.

"Thank you, Jesus!," she exclaimed.

"I'm not so young anymore and things are getting even harder. This money come een like God send," she shared.

Her first priority is simple -- restoring dignity through stability.

After months of moving between relatives' homes and the surviving section of her damaged house, West says the winnings now give her a chance to rebuild from the ground up.

"I've been staying with relatives and sometimes in the piece of the house that didn't blow away. Now I can put on back my roof and start to get back on my feet," she said.

Hurricane Melissa, the most powerful hurricane to make landfall in Jamaica since records began 174 years ago, struck the country with sustained winds of 185 mph, causing widespread damage in parts of Trelawny, St James, Hanover, Westmoreland, St Elizabeth, and St Ann. Approximately 146,000 buildings were damaged by the hurricane, with the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management stating that an estimated 360,000 people and 90,000 households were "directly impacted".

Meanwhile, at the official handover of the winner's cheque to West, recently, Supreme Venture's Assistant Vice-President Kajay Rowe said while creating winners is part of the organisation's daily mission, "this latest Lotto multimillionaire feels a little more special".

"Hurricane Melissa took so much from so many people, including our winner. We are very proud that these Lotto winnings will play a big part in helping them to rebuild and recover. This win will not only affect one life but will create a ripple effect in their community," Rowe said.