A war veteran from Bay Shore gave a Memorial Day gift to a woman he had never met Monday.

Army National Guard Sergeant Ed Boniberger, who spent last Memorial Day serving in Iraq, found an envelope of lottery tickets in a 7-11. Mary Ann Doerrbecker had left them, one of which was a $2,500 winner. Boniberger tried to track down the barely legible name on the back of the ticket but eventually went to police, who were able to trace her social security number.

Doerrbecker offered Boniberger a reward for his trouble, but he refused. Boniberger says there are people who need the money more than him.