Anthony Canty, a 39-year-old father-of-two who won £1 million on the EuroMillions in May 2020, has died after an alleged hit-and-run in Essex. The collision occurred at 6.30am on May 21 on Maldon Road in Tiptree, a village in Essex. Mr Canty was taken to hospital in serious condition but died on May 25, reports the Mirror.
Life-Saving Heroics and Lottery Win
Just a month before his lottery win, Mr Canty performed CPR on a police officer who was having a heart attack on a bus in April 2020. The officer was airlifted to hospital and spent five days in intensive care. Following Mr Canty's win, the officer told him "good karma happens to good people."
At the time of his win, Mr Canty initially thought he had won £100,000, but his wife Kate discovered they were actually millionaires. He said: "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!'."
Tributes from Family
His wife, Kate, described 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."
She added: "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 officers continue to conduct enquiries, while an 18-year-old man remains under investigation. Police are appealing for witnesses to the collision on May 21 and are asking for anyone with CCTV, dashcam or other footage to get in touch quoting incident 174 of May 21.
Mr Canty and his wife had two daughters. At the time of his EuroMillions win, he said he was planning to take them to Disneyland and buy a new house. He also explained he had stayed in touch with the wife of the police officer whose life he saved while he was in hospital.
