Lottery winner who loves his job refuses to retire
By Kate Northrop
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A lottery player who won a six-figure prize could easily put the sum toward a nice, quiet retirement, but one such winner refuses to quit doing what he loves.
Vicente Mosquera is loving life as a waiter in an Italian restaurant, but things got even sweeter when he won a $285,316 prize in the Virginia Lottery's Cash 5 game.
Even with the six-figure sum pocketed away for a rainy day, the 82-year-old winner doesn't want to give up his job just because he won the lottery.
About a month ago, Mosquera bought a ticket at the Food Lion grocery store on Sandbridge Road in Virginia Beach for the Cash 5 drawing on April 23.
The winning numbers, which he told Lottery officials he selected using a combination someone gave him years ago, were 19, 23, 30, 33, 38. He managed to match all five numbers to win the nearly $300,000 jackpot.
Even when Mosquera collected his prize at the Lottery's Hampton customer service center, there was not much he had to say about his plans for the money. Instead, he picked up his check and went right off to work.
Cash 5 drawings take place every day at 11:00 pm EST. The current jackpot for tonight's draw stands at $513,000, up $31,000 from the last drawing without a winner.
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This guy won the life lottery. He made it to 82 years, looks like he's in good health, and continues to work at a job he loves. Anything else is icing on the cake 🎂
I agree. With the way things are going, we may all be working in our 80's.
Meanwhile, I can't hit even the pick 3, and still have to go to work 😑. What is wrong in America 😅
You go Vincente!
He sure looks great for 82! Some 30 ish folks look older than he does. Without one's health you have nothing.
Great story Kate and thanks for posting.
It has been proven that lottery players live longer than most people. The adrenaline of dreaming about a lottery jackpot keeps the heart in shape.
Gloria Mackenzie was 84 when she won the $590.5 million Powerball jackpot in 2013, taking home about $278 million after taxes.
Ok, first off, nobody knows circumstances. He still works, that's not good.
I resell items and can possibly earn to that potential, stock market I made some moves. if I get enough things moneywise done, I am not working , screw that.
Who are we (you) to Judge him? Some folks work many years past retirement because perhaps it gives them joy and purpose. Until we walk in his shoes we'll never know. True we don't know his circumstances...
If you enjoy what you're doing, it's not work.
Good for him.
If I were asked to guess his age based on that picture I would have said he's in his mid-60s, I never would have said 82. I always love hearing of lottery winners who keep the same number combination for years and finally strike gold. Congrats to Mr. Mosquera.
How's about we get that headline spelled right?
Well move to Europe and play Euro millions,biggest lottery in the world 😎
If my research is correct then...
At today's exchange rate, this is around £226,826.22 in my country's dosh.
Try going for multiple Pick 3 numbers or use systems that are recommended by experts.
Read both headlines twice...what is misspelled? Maybe it was fixed IDK.
If I catch spelling and or big time grammar errors on the news scroll I send an email and one time called Good Morning America. The gal laughed and laughed and it wasn't fixed. Louisville KY news has got to be the worst for spelling errors!
I am 59 and I retired at 57 and I believe you should enjoy your best life, working at 82 is not doing that. I congratulate him on winning, but not in a decision to keep working there is too much in life to enjoy rather than serving others for profit.
If he wants to keep working because he loves his job, good for him. It keeps him out and about, keeps him busy, it's exercise for him, and keeps him active socially. I'm sure he enjoys meeting people and would rather not stay home all day and become a couch potato. For all we know, his family may own the restaurant.
As the saying goes, You rest you rust.
Good for him, enjoy life to the fullest and big congrats on his win.
I think he should do what makes him happy and he seems to love his job. Maybe he is only part time. We have a woman attorney in my office who is in her late 70's. But in some cases, people may be working since they have nothing better to do which is sad. Cultivate friends and interests before you retire.
Those people working at high age were doing jobs that don't require lifting, quick moves, high temperature, low temperature, standing a lot, defense, confrontations and so on. We often prefer to do useful things in a good surrounding. You must have studied law to be a lawyer. (...)