She's been homeless, bankrupt, a robbery victim and assaulted on the job — but radiant Rikers Island prison guard Garina Fearon now has 54 million glorious reasons to start living la dolce vita.
The 34-year-old single mom from East New York, Brooklyn, who has endured a lifetime of hardship and poverty, told The Post she's the mystery winner of last Friday's Mega Millions drawing.
"I wanted a better life. I was struggling as a single parent," a beaming Fearon said yesterday. "I've really come back from nothing."
She never imagined such joy was possible when she was down to her last $25 six years ago and forced to file for bankruptcy.
Hard times struck again two years later, when burglars robbed her apartment while she was at work guarding dangerous inmates.
Fearon, who spent part of her youth in a homeless shelter with no stable family, went on to endure sickening abuse from the monsters in her care.
"She's had feces thrown in her face and on her uniform in the years that she's been there," said a fellow jail guard. "She's a tough young lady."
How she won is as remarkable as her change of fortune.
Fearon said she bought the wrong ticket at a Sutter Avenue bodega, where she went to play Powerball, not Mega Millions.
"I only play every six months or so," said Fearon, who has a 16-year-old son and a 14-year-old daughter.
She held on to the ticket all weekend, and didn't think about it until Monday, when she asked a co-worker for a newspaper. She scribbled the winning numbers on the back of an inmate pass as her shift ended.
As she waited for the bus, she made the amazing discovery.
"I was about to fold up the lottery ticket," Fearon said. "Then I saw the numbers, and I started running from one part of the parking lot to the other screaming."
She still hasn't come down from her high.
"I don't know what I'm going to do," she said. "It's something unexpected."
The first thing on her "to-do" list was to talk to supervisors at the Correction Department. She said she feels too loyal to the job to let it go, even with all that money coming her way.
"I'm going to go to my job to get some days off," Fearon said. "I don't want to resign."
Fearon said it was her correction career that rescued her from her financial ruin.
Her top priority is taking care of her ailing mom.
"I'm from Jamaica," Fearon said. "I have a sick mother. She has diabetes, and I'm going to buy my mom a house in Jamaica."
Fearon said she will take the lump-sum option, which will pay her about $30 million before taxes. Beyond that, she's not sure what she'll do next.
"I don't know anything about all this kind of money," she said.
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Good for her for buying her mother a home in Jamaica, I hope the money makes her life easier, she has been through hard times and she sounds like she could use the money for herself, her children and her mother. God bless her!!!!
Congrats to her
Now this is a fairy tale story. From feces in the face to a multi-millionaire. I hope she does well with all that money.
And I hope there's somewhere in Jamaica with high security to build that house for Mama. With all this publicity, there's going to be low-lifes looking for an opportunity.
I think I'd get her out of Jamaica, where that kind of money can easily corrupt police or even government officials.
I hope shes smart with the money, doesn't end up bankrupt again in a few years, and realizes how much I really love her.
Congrats to Mrs. Fearon on her win!
Glad she won. She should get out of Rikers too. With her name and face on that kind of money it won't make her job as a guard any easier.
Congrats on the big win.-weshar75
Actually, I think I loved her first...
--------------> 
I just forgot to mention it.
Very beautiful woman. Very beautiful win. I wish her, her mom, and her children all the best things in the world. I wish them their safety more than anything.
Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations!
I really hope this win will be a blessing bestowed on she and her family.
Too many previous winners end up wishing they had never won the money after awhile.
I hope she has devised a plan that will secure she and her immediate family for many years to come.
Congratulations on your win. But try to stay out of the media's eyes.
God Bless you and your family Ms Fearon....and congrats again.
Isn't that something, she only plays every 6 months or so and she hit.
I am happy for her. If she is smart, this money will set her for life.
A lawyer, and a financial planner should be her best friend from now.
She only plays every six months....
I have a funny feeling she will soon be hearing from her ex who suddenly feels a need to spend more time with his children.
And she played the wrong game? My goodness what luck.
Being she works with inmates, i would hope the first thing she would get is life insurance. Rikers island is NO JOKE!!
LOL - I have that same feeling! She's young, beautiful and rich so he may have to stand in line. While I admire her work ethic, once the shock of winning wears off and reality starts to set in, I have a feeling she's gonna kiss that job goodbye. **Let's see should I go to work and deal with prisoners who throw crap at me or.... should I fly down to Jamaica and spend the day with Mom in the new house I just bought for her?**
LOL
I agree with you. I think she should also leave NY and relocate to a place where she is better able to raise her children and possibly bring her mom where she is. She should get a financial advisor quick.
I wonder if the winning numbers were quick picks or self picks and how much she spent for that drawing.
I wouldn't spend another day at the prison.
After all, criminals love to take other peoples money and I am sure that the prisoners know who she is .......................
Nice win
Wish her the best !
Yea, an unattached female won -- that's rare!
How about buying a larger house and lot in a U.S.A. gated community for all four members of her family to live in! If they want to vacation in Jamaica three or so times per year they could rent a timeshare. Less money and far more flexibility.
Besides, if the immediate family all live together, they can joyfully learn and employ money management together.
Hope she gets a good financial advisors. There are too many stories of lottery winners going broke after a few years and families fractured from the money. Everyone has their hand out.
Did she have a choice about remaining anonymous? If she did, she should have chosen to protect her privacy. She is going to be under enormous pressure to "help" family and friends, and they will melt away when the money runs out.
she truely deserve it.
Well for one she won't be a prison guard for much longer since once the inmates find out yeah.. not a good thing. however, congratulations to her and I hope she can handle the money well..
Its not luck it is consistency.
She plays regularly, I won big but not the jackpot , thru Quick picks.
There's millions of people playing with consistency, a lot of em are right here on Lottery Post.
I think it might take a little more than consistency.
There was a news story on here not long ago about a lady (in NY?) who won the jackpot the very first time she played.
Would you say she was consistent or lucky?
I forgot to mention, Ms. Fearon said she only played "once every six months or so."
That's hardly consistent.
Congrats on your win Garina...... I hope she gets proper financial advice as well as security for her as well as her children safety...just because the inmates are locked up does not mean they can't get to her or her children...
Remaining anonymous is always an option. There are blind trusts, LLCs, etc.
Unfortunately, thanks to shows like Jon and Kate plus 8, Jersey Shore, American Idol, Dancing with the Stars and other such drivel on tv many people in American Society think becoming famous and turning into a celebrity is a value of the highest magnitude. Thankfully many people on this forum seem to know better.
when i win i ll be famous, everyone will be talking about " the masked lottery winner "
I used to not worry about remaining anonymous upon winning a jackpot but after seeing some of the horror stories lately, I may change my mind. I think Ms. Fearon, being employed in a prison should have definitely attempted to maintain her anonymity. Given her circumstances, I bet the Lottery and State would have accomodated her to some degree.
There is a method to the madness on television.
And it's in league and lockstep with the aims and agenda of a certain political movement.
The breakdown of morals and values is a key ingredient to their movement, and it's drubbing harangue is no mere happenstance.
Remember November.
I've never seen one episode of any of those shows you mentioned and somehow I don't feel like I've missed anything.
These are the stories I like. I'm thrilled to lose to someone like this. I'm warm and fuzzy all over.
It's definitely a mistake to go public, though, especially when you work with the baddest of the baddest and their clients. The safest thing thing would be to disappear.
Great story, congrat to her and to a long happy life.
I am so happy for her.. She is a very pretty woman.. I wouldn't blame her if she decides to quit her job...Who should?