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Mar 25, 2008, 9:39 am (33 comments)
A New Bedford, Massachusetts, man who lived a modest life even after winning a $5 million lottery jackpot has died in a fire.
Authorities say 85-year-old John Gonsalves Sr. died Thursday after being overcome by smoke in his home. The fire was determined to be accidental, most likely caused by smoking materials.
Gonsalves won a $5.1 million Megabucks jackpot in 1994, yet he didn't let the fortune change his life.
His son, John Junior, says his father enjoyed the freedom the money gave him, and liked to buy nice clothes and jewelry, yet he wasn't frivolous and remained the same humble person.
The elder Gonsalves is still owed more than $1 million of his winnings. His son says he hopes the money doesn't cause friction between his father's survivors, including two ex-wives and five other children.
AP
I wonder at times if winning the lottery isnt a curse.
I don't think winning the lottery is a curse. Everyone has a hardship sometime in their life. It's just when you win big everyone knows about it because it is so publicized. It's the about the same as celebrities getting all the news coverage on tv stations and newspapers for getting a DUI when thousands of people a day get them.
You guys do know he's old right. He was 85, dont get to worked up about it, sad to say or maybe not but he LIVED his LIFE. How old do you want people to be when they die, i dont know about you but 85 sounds like a good number to me and that's only if I can't still function on my own, if i can function then obviously i want to live longer . Anyways who wants to live to be 100+, that sounds ridiculous, if you can function then that's cool but most cannot, you lose control of your body around the 70's period or even younger. This nation isn't health conscious so you are in for quite a ride if you still live in the us and that old.
I can't believe what I just read here. Yes, this man had a long life and was able to enjoy his last few years in comfort, but it isn't up to you to judge at what age a person should die. I can't even describe my reaction to this post. I hope you don't get into an accident and, while there's still lots of hope, your family is standing around saying "well, let's pull the plug because he's already done enough, so we don't need him any more."
"..you lose control of your body around the 70s period.."
How many people 70 or 80 do you know? There is no mention of his health. He died in a fire.
"The elder Gonsalves is still owed more than $1 million of his winnings."
Just goes to show why people should not take their lottery winnings in the form of an annuity.
Winning the Lottery is Not hazardous to your Health: But Smoking is!
Rest in Peace John G.: You did what many of us may never do: Win a Jackpot!
Winning the lottery isn't a curse. He died in a fire. People die everyday and even lottery winners will die one day. It's doesn't mean that winners of lottery prizes are more likely to die.
Yes, he was old. But he didn't die naturally from old age. Who knows? He could have lived for another five years if it wasn't for that fire.
1st sentence) You can't believe, I seriously doubt that.
2nd sentence) Sorry to tell you this but it WASN'T me that killed that man, so I didn't decide what age he should die.
3rd sentence) Then don't describe it, honestly I don't really want to know.
4th sentence) Well if I lived a full life then I wouldn't mind them pulling the plug, if i'm young then maybe I deserve to die because I shouldn't be driving recklessly in the first place. Anyway I would rather die by having them pull the plug then by some sociopath torturing me to death because they want my lottery win or other assets.
1st question) Actually I don't know anybody that old so my conclusion was just a guess'timation.
5th sentence) True, but he was still old.
6th sentence) So, he was still old.
Oh, btw it is kind of hard NOT to smell carbon monoxide in your home so why didn't he leave I don't know, oh wait HE WAS OLD
May his soul R.I.P. We all will die; it is just a matter of time. I do hope he lived his life richly -- before his winnings and after his winnings.
Now, to the beneficiaries he left behind. Please do not fight over his assets!
Good thing CASHOnly doesn't post here anymore, he probably would have said something really tasteless, seeing it was Megabucks winner.
Interesting,
You only need one ticket to win. But you'll win more with one hundred.
Not really, it just increase your chance by 99/140000000
Do you smell foul play?
Could it be someone wants the remaining $1.4 in a hurry?
86 year old millionaire and no one is there to take care of him. Where are the smoke alarms?
hmmmmmm
Very sad story.
" he LIVED his LIFE"
There is always still something you want to do in life no matter what your age is.
I could be an old codger living in an old folks home and still go on panty raids.
He did not die a natural death, he perish in a fire. What is the point of your post?
Its sad...........my he rest in peace
awww man if he didn't have a will ......the remaining family members are about to fiiiiiight over whats left of that money
Besides the fact that you are lacking compassion and tact, but your last comment is without merit.
Carbon Monoxide is colorless and odorless, you can't smell it.
Justex-Im totally with you on some of the commentaries. Reckon folks like us that were raised to regard the elders of the world and value life no matter what the age or feebleness. The person who posted simplely shows early signs of a feeble opinion. ANd theres little cure for that....what a pity...
Sad story though.....
My guess is he wanted to show everyone how he could "shock" us.
I too thought it was tacky.
The only valid point I see you made was that he was old. I don't see how you could determine if someone has lived there life. It looked to me like he was living his life buying nice clothes and jewelry. I may be wrong but I was always under the assumption that you worked so that you could retire and live your life??? I didn't understand your 4th sentence? What does driving have to do with anything? Another thing carbon monoxide is a odorless gas. I believe that is why so many people die from it is because during the winter months they have gas heaters and fireplaces and don't have the proper ventilation.
To be honest we don't know the whole story. For all we know he could have been cooking something and fell asleep. The smoke alarm could have went off and woke him up but there was so much smoke that he was overcome by it and couldn't make it out.
The article refers to "smoking materials" so there's a good chance that he fell asleep while smoking, or left a burning cigarette in a bad spot. a smoke alarm ina good spot should go off well before there's enough smoke to be a real problem, but an 85 YO could have any of several reasons for not getting out. As a lottery winner it would certainly be ironic if he died for lack of a $10 smoke detector or a $3 battery.
If I win, I'm going to frivol ... often.
1st question) Actually I don't know anybody that old so my conclusion was just a guess'timation.
5th sentence) True, but he was still old.
6th sentence) So, he was still old.
Oh, btw it is kind of hard NOT to smell carbon monoxide in your home so why didn't he leave I don't know, oh wait HE WAS OLD
The above post says it all, so I don't need to pass judgment. Obviously, not knowing any elderly people has had a negative effect on your knowledge & wisdom. Anyone with a high school education knows that carbon monoxide is odorless. You see, people who are old can always live another 10+ years, but you can't fix stupid at any age.
you and I both know that is the TRUTH!
TWO ex-wives and 5 other children.
Rest in peace mr.G.....u surely enjoyed your life.
rubberbandman
"Oh, btw it is kind of hard NOT to smell carbon monoxide in your home so why didn't he leave I don't know, oh wait HE WAS OLD"
On TruTV tonight they showed a program where fights break out in court rooms. In this one case, the family of a person accused of murdering a 69 year old victim started going at it with the family of the victim.
One of the family members of the accused said, "He was 69 years old, did you want him to live forever?".
Not much difference between that vermin and the attitude you're displaying in this thread.
Dude, that is not me, I am not insensitive to human life, if anything I am a humanist and optimist. My previous statements were just stating the fact that this particular individual were in his elder years. If I came off as evil and heartless I apologize, I was just stating the facts.
Seriously, you see no difference between those people and me, I responded using words, they responded using violence, totally OPPOSITE spectrum.
"but you can't fix stupid at any age."
Were you talking about me or this situation?