A father-of-two who won £1 million on the EuroMillions weeks after saving a police officer's life has died following an alleged hit-and-run while his wife was expecting their third child.
Anthony Canty, 39, was cycling on Maldon Road in Tiptree, Essex, at 6.30am on May 21 when he was involved in a collision with a black Ford Ka. He was taken to hospital by ambulance in a serious condition but died on May 25.
Life-changing win after saving a life
Mr Canty became a millionaire in May 2020, just a month after performing CPR on a police officer who suffered a heart attack on a bus in April. At the time, he said he planned to take his two daughters to Disneyland and buy a new house.
He initially thought he had won £100,000, but his wife Kate checked the numbers and discovered they were millionaires. Mr Canty recalled: "I called Katie to tell her the good news but she wouldn’t believe me and thought I was winding her up, so I gave her the numbers to check for herself. I heard her log on and then she started screaming and said, 'You div, it’s one million, we’re millionaires, you have to come home!'."
Wife's tribute
Kate has paid tribute to her husband, describing him as a "one in a million and one of a kind" person. She said: "Anthony was an amazing husband and the best dad. He was one of a kind and we were so lucky to have him in our lives. The pain of losing him is the worst pain imaginable. Every day feels overwhelming and we are completely lost without him.
"He was a hardworking, loving family man with the biggest heart. He had a heart of gold and would do anything for anyone. If someone needed help, Anthony was always there. He was the life and soul of the party and lit up every room he walked into with his big smile, his charm and his character. He made people laugh, brought people together and made every moment brighter just by being there.
"Life will never be the same without him. He really was one in a million and one of a kind. I still can't believe he has been taken from us so tragically. I have lost my husband, my two girls have lost their dad, and he will never get to meet our unborn baby. We are all completely broken.
"The only comfort I have is knowing how loved he was. I will make sure all our children grow up knowing what an incredible man and amazing dad he was. They will know how much he loved them, how hard he worked for us and how proud he was to be their father."
Investigation and appeal
Essex Police said an 18-year-old man remains under investigation and officers are continuing enquiries. The police officer whose life Mr Canty saved was airlifted to hospital and spent five days in intensive care. He told Mr Canty "good karma happens to good people" following the EuroMillions win.
Police are appealing for witnesses to the collision on May 21 and are asking anyone with CCTV, dashcam or other footage relating to the incident to come forward, quoting incident 174 of May 21.
