Nurse explains just how the lottery changed her life
By Kate Northrop
After winning a record-breaking $107 million (US$79.6 million) in January 2019, an Australian nurse proclaimed that she would be returning to work the next day, and she has since kept her promise.
Humble, hardworking, and down-to-earth, the historic winner who won the country's largest prize ever awarded to an individual came forward to offer advice to future lottery winners, as well as explain just how the lottery has changed her life and what she spends her money on.
When she hit multi-millionaire status overnight, she swore she would return to work the very next day.
"I don't know why people were so shocked," the anonymous player told The Lott. "I'm still working, and my husband is also working. We both love our jobs."
Besides the love of the job, there was sound reasoning behind the decision to return to work. For future lottery winners of massive proportions, she explained that maintaining normalcy is a key factor in dealing with such a huge win.
"My advice is, if it's possible and you can stand it, wake up the next morning and go to work," she said. "In the beginning, it's important to go about your usual day-to-day life while you really think about things. It gives you normality, and it allows the news to slowly sink in."
While her advice is completely sound and reasonable, she emphasized that it's best to seek financial help from professionals as soon as possible.
"Run, don't walk, to a really good financial advisor," the winner urged. "It takes two weeks for the prize money to come through. I used those two weeks to engage a financial advisor who I really trusted."
Since relationships among family and friends are different for everybody, she also offered some advice that can be true for anyone — don't rush to tell people about the win.
"Take some time to think about who you might tell before you start sharing the news with your family and friend, and let the story get out of the headlines first," she recommended. "If this news affects relationships in a negative way, then it's probably time for that relationship to end anyway, and that's just natural."
Thankfully, the mother had a positive experience when she finally came clean to family and friends about winning a massive amount of money.
"Honestly, everyone we told was in tears — genuine, happy tears!" she recalled. "I don't think one person didn't have a little cry. Everyone was so overwhelmingly happy and excited for us!"
She did, however, say one thing that possibly deterred people in her circle from asking for money. Either that, or she has incredibly honest relationships with those around her.
"No one ever asked me for money, not one person," she remarked. "I told people it had been locked away."
So how has her life changed since winning a $107 million jackpot? Surprisingly, not much is different, except now she upgrades from cheap chardonnay and regularly buys fresh flowers for her home. She's also quite the bookworm and admits that it's a great feeling to be able to go into a bookshop and buy whichever book she wants.
"It's things like that that I don't take for granted," she said.
She and her husband don't splurge, they continue to clean the house and do the grocery shopping, but there is one household task that she didn't mind giving up.
"I've never been one for ironing," the winner quipped. "Now I do have someone who does the ironing for me, and that's invaluable."
Of course, she and her husband did what most sensible lottery winners do — planning a vacation and buying a family home.
"That's something that I've always dreamt of, and every time I walk into my beautiful home is a 'pinch-me' moment," she gushed. "And having the ability to travel with the children is incredible. We never thought we'd be able to afford that. It was always out of reach for us, so to have those memories is priceless."
While she is still not one for big luxuries and huge splurges, there is one way of putting the money to good use that she can absolutely get behind.
"We have already made some really important donations, and we're always thinking a lot about what we want to support next," the Sydney nurse said. "We watch the news, and we read the papers, and we literally keep a notebook of causes we know we want to help on a grassroots level."
While not much has changed in her day-to-day life, having millions in her bank account has given her a fresh, unique perspective on acquiring a great deal of wealth.
"In those weeks after our win, I walked down the street, and I knew that just about every second person bought a ticket into the draw, and I know that I won their $10 or $15, and that really resonated with me," the lucky player said thoughtfully. "Paying it forward is really important to us because if you change one person's life, you have the potential to change the whole community."
Lottery players wondering what steps they should take after winning the lottery should check out Lottery Post's instructive video, What happens when you win the lottery?
Very nice story. What a trooper she is returning to work the very next day!
With only 4% of Australia vaccinated for Covid-19 I'd be leery to return to work, though because she's a Nurse does not necessarily mean patient care, i.e. Nurse Manager etc.
She mentioned that no family members had asked her for money. I find that very strange, family members should not have to "ask" for money if you won $107 million dollars. You should have all of that figured out before you even pick up the money you should have targeted who in the family you are planning to help, and discussed it with them ahead of time, that way everyone is on the same page and there is no confusion. Why put the family in the awkward position of having to ask for help. The reason no one asked is because they were waiting on her to reach out to them. Most people play the lottery so that if they happen to win it will change their life. If you do not "want" to change your life ......why are you playing??
l Like the idea that Australia does not tax lottery winning. What they will tax is revenue earned from investments.
Spoke with Canadians years ago I think your last sentence is the same thing they told me.
She is showing lottery winners how to live a boring life!!!
LOL. Kinda funny. We blast people that win and then go crazy blowing their money.
Now criticism for going back to work and not blowing the money.
We really don't know all the circumstances of people that win big.
Wow, I am so glad you're not related to me Mata. Do you seriously expect a family member who comes into a large sum of money by winning a lottery to come rushing in to save the day for anybody who you believe needs it? To me, it sounds like you're saying whoever finds themselves winning millions like this needs to 'spread it around' so that everybody else can benefit from this sudden windfall as well.
Okay, after everybody gets that slice you believe they're entitled to by being family, what's this lottery winner supposed to do when their funds have been depleted or even exhausted? What about the quality of their lives? What about what they may have wanted to do? What about their financial well-being? What about their children (if they have them)? What about their dreams? These are all rhetorical questions because I know you don't care about any of that. As long as you get your grubby little hands on what you believe is rightfully yours, nothing else matters to you, does it?
People like you make me sick.
I'm going to disagree. Lottery winners don't have to discuss what they're going to do with their lottery winnings with anyone. No one is entitled to someone's money and how it's spent. If I ever win big, I'm not going to gather all my family members and friends and ask them how much I should give them or how I should spend my money. That's how people go broke. If I give someone something, it's on my terms and not because someone believes that they are entitled to my money.
* Unless you have scoundrels & dishonest family members " Charity begins at home."
* Enough said.
You're missing the context of what some of us are saying noise-gate. If you want to give some of your winnings to your family, go ahead - it's your money to do with as you please. Heck, if I were to hit Powerball tomorrow I know I'd buy the house my sister is currently living in because I know how much she loves both the house and the neighborhood it's situated in. I'd also give my mother some money so she'd have nothing to worry about financially as she enjoys her golden years.
The problems begin when you have family members who, just like Mata demonstrated in his post, believe they're entitled to those winnings as well and try to play the family card in order to get it.
Powerful and agree with you 100%. My Sister told me and my older Brother that if we win the lottery (she doesn't play) we HAVE to give her some. Brother told her 'Sure, it'll be a loan @ market rate'.
As for me, she gets none or my younger narcissist Brother.
When I hit will have my tax accountant or Attorney---neither one of which I have help me with the IRS paperwork, though I'm sure the KLC would be more than happy to assist too. Aside from myself, it gets split five ways and since I'm fortunate that KY will write separate checks to each person that is one big headache over with. We sometimes play in nearby Indiana and they too cut separate checks. California gets some of my moola in September and I know for fact they will cut up to fifty separate checks...not that will be the case with us! My home state of MA creates financial hardships by only cutting one check.
Missed the context- l don't think so. First off the lady says family were shedding tears over her win, yet nary a word on " l did right by them." Perhaps she did not feel the need to bring the topic up with the press, and l can understand that.
No one, especially myself is suggesting that you call the family & tell them you divving up your fortune, but to mention charities out there first..Right Ok.
Opinions are like noses, everyone has one, so no harm, no foul.
You made it quite clear that this woman is not living by your authoritarian rules, how dare she not say the things you wanted to hear.