Generous lottery winner remembers humble life before the big win

By Kate Northrop

A lottery winner who scooped up a whopping £105 million (US$127.9 million) EuroMillions jackpot in 2019 is missing the workplace banter of his old job.

Following his lottery win of over a hundred million pounds, a West Sussex man found fulfillment in using the prize to give back to multiple charitable organizations, groups, and family members. Now, he's longing for a piece of the life he once had.

When Steve Thompson, 45, won the massive jackpot in 2019, his immediate focus was not on what he could do for himself, but what he could do for others.

"It's so much money — I'm going to be generous," Thomson said at the time he won. "I live in a small village. It's a nice village. I don't want to leave the village, so whatever I can do in the community, I will."

After making significant donations in the tens and hundreds of thousands to various organizations, including a medical center, his son's school, and even a local cricket club, he turned his attention to his immediate family. He's ensured that a decent chunk of money was set aside in a trust for safekeeping and has since then been living it large with his wife and children in a comfortable 7,000 square-foot country estate set on 14.5 acres in Kent.

The £4.5 million (US$5.48 million) property boasts two kitchens, six bedrooms, five reception rooms, a games room, two lakes, a pond, landscaped gardens, a tennis court, a swimming pool, a party barn, and stables.

"The kids finally got their own bedrooms," Thompson said after the purchase. "It's a simple thing, but it was all they ever wished for."

Although it is a massive upgrade from their previous home, a three-bed terraced house in Selsey, West Sussex valued at around £150,000 (US$182,756), Thompson's friends say he finds himself pining for the life he once had before the big win.

Prior to the lifechanging win in 2019, the former builder had a windows and conservatories business in Selsey. He could very well have abandoned the business right after becoming millions richer in the lottery, but he still carried on working to complete outstanding orders and insisted on performing any work on his new house himself.

Now, he spends most of his time walking the dog or spending time with his family at home in Kent.

"Steve obviously feels really lucky to be in the position he's in," a friend of his told The Sun. "But nothing could've prepared him for the change in his life after he won the EuroMillions. He's a very modest, humble bloke and loved his life as a builder."

Aside from the gratifying work itself, his friend explained that a big part of the job was the camaraderie that came with it.

"Steve misses the job and all that comes with it, like the great lads he worked with and the brilliant banter they had together on site," his friend continued.

Financially, there is no reason for him to return to work — after he and his wife invested some of the cash in two separate trusts, stocks, shares, and property, it's been predicted that they could make another £90 million (US$112.4 million) over the next 20 years.

Lovingly called "Mr. Sensible" by his friends, Thompson still drives his wife's second-hand Volvo after allowing himself to splurge on three £100,000 Range Rovers, a £100,000 Tesla, and a £200,000 bright green Lamborghini.

Thanks to dannyct for the tip.