Couple who both lost homes to Superstorm Sandy win lottery

NEW MILFORD, Conn. -- A New York City couple who lost everything during Superstorm Sandy bought a lottery ticket almost six months ago with a dream of owning a home.

Now, that dream is likely to become a reality.

Mary Ann Daino lost her home on Staten Island in the storm, while Dennis Klaus lost his in Brooklyn. They moved to Connecticut, where they met at the New Faith Church in New Milford.

For a year. they lived in a trailer, then they moved with their trailer to Gaylordsville. And they bought the ticket that would change their lives 176 days ago.

"'We won,'" Dennis said. "I said 'Get out of here, won what?' She said, 'We got a winning ticket.' I said, 'What do you mean?'"

"He's going, 'No, you're kidding, you're kidding, really? You're kidding. Really?'" Mary Ann said. "I said, 'Yes, Dennis, this is our home.'"

They put the ticket in a safety deposit box for safekeeping.

"I wanted to make sure I didn't owe the IRS any money or Wells Fargo," Mary Ann said.

The prize was more than $250,000, and after taxes, they'll take home about $180,000.

"We don't consider it money," Dennis said. "We consider it a home. It's a home. It's not to be spent. It's where we're going to live together and start a new life."

It's a new life for a couple who did not know each other at their worst, but over the past two years, found each other, this ticket and faith.

"You have to keep the faith, because there is life afterwards," Mary Ann said. "And there's a wonderful life waiting."