I am a two-time lottery winner. I have claimed a $100,000 lottery ticket in November and a $1 million lottery ticket Monday. Both came from scratch off. Everyone has been asking me what it's like to win and so I'll tell you.
A big win is an amazing blessing that I still can't believe is real. And then to be blessed more than once is just extraordinary.
But nothing comes easy. We all go through rough times in our lives, and people don't know the road that one must walk to reach a happy destination finally.
I believe that this blessing came to me because I have worked very hard. I am so fortunate to have a full-time job that I enjoy and co-workers who are good friends. I am thankful for this every day.
But in the last few years some personal circumstances caused me to acquire more debt than I ever thought I would have. Facing a lot of debt can be a real nightmare. It's a good thing that I enjoy working or I might not survive the triple shifts I sometimes take on.
We play lottery every once in a while. It was my husband's idea to buy the ticket for me both times. The $1 million ticket was around our seventh anniversary and Valentine's Day. He thought it would be a funny way to celebrate our love, but little did we know how it would change our lives.
When the first lottery ticket came in November, I was flabbergasted. My car had a big dent in it, and it needed a tuneup. It came just at the right time so that my husband, daughter and I could buy a new sparkling car and finally pay off that evil debt that was plaguing us.
Then, to win a second time and for that amount was a bit of a miracle. The quote that's been going around the Internet is that I was "numb" when I found out. This is true. I just could not believe it.
Perhaps what is even harder to believe is the wild reaction that everyone had and how the story spread like wildfire. I thought that I would just chat with the woman at the lottery claims office, she would write a little blurb for the lottery's website, and no one would really know about it except for the people who check the lottery website. Well, I am a journalist, and I should've known better. The minute it hit the press, my phone and e-mail blew up with congratulations from all over the country and parts of the world.
What's my advice for all the curious folks out there? I want you to know that you must always have faith, always work as hard as you possibly can and do your best to do what is right. I do not recommend scratching your life away at a lottery machine, but rather, focusing on making those around you happy every day.
Now, I am certainly no Mother Teresa, but this quote from her really inspires me and I'd like to share it with you so that you can remember it when you're trying to win in life.
"Let us more and more insist on raising funds of love, of kindness, of understanding, of peace. Money will come if we seek first the Kingdom of God -- the rest will be given."
Nice !! Glad to get some insight as to how an ordinary, everyday hard worker with debt, had some luck and extra luck for a second time.. It is just a good story to read down through. Even shows you how fast word spreads when you publicly talk about your win (might be a sign to change a few things if you don't want the publicity)....Being positive and doing positive things has its rewards....Kudos to her and her family !!!
These occurrences are not all that uncommon, just in the last 6 months I have seen several similar stories Todd has posted here on LP.
Just keep the faith baby!
Good for her. I hope I have similar luck. Scratch that, I hope we ALL have similar luck.
You know, reading this article in her own words, ring a few things to mind. Irrespective of your political, religious or racial inclination, we all have similar problem on a very basic level. She mentions a not so flattering situation on her finacial state a few years back. We can hit each other over different stands as people but, we all share common problems sometimes. I do not consider myself either left or right, I just want a good leader. I do not object to anyone's faith in one religion over the other, I might disagree on how one tries to intimidate the other sometimes, resulting in unecessary loss of innocent lives. I say, let's disagree, we can't help it but, no need to shut one down over the other.
To the lucky lady, congratulations, enjoy it and maybe just maybe, this might be a relief to correct the financial mistakes she made, conciously or unconciously.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL ON YOUR PROSPECTIVE LOTTO WINS.
Congrats to the winner!
I too, am an ordinary person. For me it is not so much financial mistakes, as it is financial misfortune.
I will continue to believe that my hard work over the past 40 years will also be rewarded .................
stay dreamin' my friends
LOL, dploly when your ship sails in just take it easy on the toys you are going to buy. Easy does it, one at a time my good man, one at a time.
Good luck to you, dpoly....
"Have faith"
"Work as hard as you possibly can"
"Do what is right"
Make "those around you happy everyday"
Perfect. Have a good weekend.
Congratulations to this winner winning twice. I didn't know that this CNN producer won twice.
Yeah, she won twice.
In fact, there's an article about it on the top of this page.
That is sound advice my friend. Thank you!
Good luck also to you sandia!
i can see how she got into debt
" old car had a dent and needed a tune up "
solution buy A NEW CAR
LOL
congrats and i hope you are blessed with many more winnings.
Winning scratch-off ticket has nothing to do with working hard. A bum from the street could come at the right place and time and hit. Criminals have hit. Abusive and lazy people have hit. Hard work has nothing to do with it. Congrats all the same.
Scratch tickets can lead to a gambling addiction. Gambling in any kind of games is very dangerous if you do not stick to a budget.
You must be very old.
We don't call them "bums" anymore.
We call them "homeless" now.
It's much easier to see them as "victims" that way.
Which opens the door for politically connected people to get high-paying government jobs as "coordinators" in social welfare agencies.
In fancy offices.
So they can help the "homeless".
Cuz nobody would want to help "bums".
Or give people tax dollars for high-paying jobs in fancy offices to "coordinate" helping them.
Yeah, I agree. I was on the verge of being a scratch addict when I was a college freshman. :(
I would have to say RTF Article and look at the last sentence in the 5th paragraph.....Working triple shifts to pay off debt ....thats where the "working hard" came in.....no bums or criminals or lazies there..its just nice to hear about a person with that kind of work ethic having a lottery windfall...
Congratulations in order for those two jackpot wins!
Coming up ... it's time for a used, never-was, lazy, jaded, and or mentally exhausted person, me, to win a net multi-million dollar jackpot!
Those producers must not get paid very well! LOL She's 29, so maybe she's still paying off her college loans.
By the way, I read that she did buy a new car after her first win last November.
Well, I just "won" $10 with Florida Fantasy 5. I put "won" in quotes because I spent more than that to get it.
!!!POWERBALL JACKPOT it's your turn. See the MEGA MILLIONS $22million and raise it another $5million!!!
Laziness is not the only way to be a homel...oh, sorry Ridge, BUMS.
I agree but I'm not the one that called them bums.
It was that guy from China.
I corrected him for being so insensitive and uncaring about the plight of the homeless.
lol! you are a riot
Well, thank you, rad.
rdgnr
So true. Could drive a fellow to drink, or drink more, more often. I am trying
to decide which would help the most, Jim, Jack or both.
RL
I just love this story. This story has changed the way I look at the lottery forever.
This CNN producer has inspired me so much! Yesterday, I bought a $1 scratch off, positive mind-set and got a triple 21 symbol, a prize of $3 in return.
I also got one number right on my Mega Millions quick pick (number 40). I'm beginning to win again.
Oh, I'd always go with Tennessee whiskey over Bourbon.
And Jack's the best Tennessee.