A New York City firefighter forced to retire due to Ground Zero ailments won a $5 million jackpot with a New York Lottery scratch-off ticket.
Carmelo Mercado, of Harriman in Orange County, New York, hit paydirt with a $20 "Cash X 100" ticket, sources said.
Mercado, 63, a retired member of FDNY Battalion 49 in Astoria, said he had initially purchased one ticket, but then decided on a whim to purchase another — which won.
"I was in shock," he said. "I couldn't believe it, to be honest with you. I didn't sleep for two days after it happened. My mind went totally blank."
Mercado, who receives a $91,000-a-year pension, will get a $3.3 million lump-sum payout after taxes from his lottery win.
He said he was among The Bravest who rushed to the World Trade Center on 9/11, and came down with lung ailments after long hours working on the pile.
His condition forced his retirement, and he's a beneficiary of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which provides continued funding for health-care programs for firefighters, cops and others hit by 9/11-related ailments.
The father of three adult children and a 10-year-old says his experiences made him more of a risk-taker.
"After 9/11 sometimes you just have to be reckless; you never know."
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Congratulations!
Nice, Congrats to the Brave Man.
Congratulations to the Courageous !! Will any LP Member react the same way he initially did ? Stunned and thoughtless ?
Sleepless for two days !!
CNN's The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer just featured this story. Carmela Mercado was shown with NY's Lottery spokesperson Yolando Vega . All smiles everywhere.
Congrats Mr Mercado and thanks for your years of service to your city!
The Absolute best news l have read from LP so far this year..Way to go Carmelo..
Thank you for your service and sacrifice Mr. Mercado. Congratulations to the Mercado family.
Congratulations Mr Mercado on his win.
Could not have gone to a more deserving civil servant. Congrats to Mr. Mercado.
Congratulations Carmelo Mercado on your win and thanks for your service to your city.
Felicidades! CONGRATS. . . !
Senor mercado y' que dios te bendiga siempre ...
Tu nena es hermosa awww que chulo .. how cute she is so sweet, i am tearin' up in the eyes learning of this. I REALLY am."
God shall forever, bless us who are good people and not haters,or bullies in life and those
who give their all to better OUR communites,who PROTECT us, and heroes,and other good beautiful people en vida.
Ahora...(now) i hope he utilize his winnings prudently,make it last for him and the familia.
awww so happy for him.adios... noche.
Fantastic! Glad to see someone like this, a true hero, win.
Every once in awhile the universe does the right thing. Glad a good man won it. Congratulations. I can't even begin to imagine what he went through.
It's amazing how a New York City firefighter forced to retire [way early] due to Ground Zero ailments can receive: a good monthly disability income, a great monthly pension income, a great fully-paid full-family health and dental insurance plan, another child, renewed vitality, and a multi-million net lump-sum jackpot payoff from the NY Lottery Headquarters!
Yes Baller, I was surprised at the high monthly pension too. To be retired and still living in NY is almost impossible!
The Minnesota lottery should look at the UK lottery. It is the benchmark for international best practice, when it comes to lotteries.
Camelot - UK National Lottery Operator
As one of the world’s leading lottery operators, Camelot sets global standards when it comes to looking after winners. It offers an unparalleled level of professional support to help and advise new winners throughout this life-changing experience, as well as a unique aftercare service.
As well as being a time of extreme excitement and happiness, suddenly winning a substantial sum of money can be an overwhelming and emotional experience for many people – but support from Camelot begins as soon as a winner makes a claim on a prize.
For UK National Lottery prizes over £50,000, our player services team is able to pay them in the comfort of their own home, or alternatively they can choose to have their prize validated at one of our prize payout centres.
For winners over £500,000, a private banking representative can visit them at home to discuss additional services on offer to winners with new-found wealth. We also arrange for a panel of independent legal and financial experts to visit winners of over £500,000 to offer impartial advice and practical guidelines.
One of the most important decisions for new winners to make is whether to opt to go public or remain anonymous. If a winner decides to talk publicly about their win, Camelot’s PR team will organise a press conference and handle all media interest on their behalf, removing the anxiety that can accompany talking about a big win.
If they have requested to remain anonymous, Camelot takes its obligations and duty of care to protect winners’ privacy very seriously. Unless a winner agrees to take full publicity and signs an agreement to that effect, no information about them can be released by Camelot into the public domain.
We have a dedicated team of winners’ advisers who look after all our major jackpot winners. They remain a source of support and advice for as long as a winner needs – often remaining in touch years after hitting the jackpot.
Do you even understand the Greek situation right now? Whats "amazing" to me is getting $91,000 a year for NOT working.
People agree you should go to jail for stealing with a gun or knife.
However, give people a ballot box and they feel they are carrying around a "get out of jail free card" while weilding a BAZOOKA!
Now in more important news people are swarming to buy the latest smart phone, watch the latest Taylor Swift YouTube video, and figure out if Kim Kardashians butt has grown another inch by closely examining all the current paparazzi photos on google search.
pensions is what get companies and governments screwed up in the first place - and since the states are mostly broke (and they have to balance the budgets somehow) - they have to lower the payouts on the lottery games
Why is it amazing that Carmelo is getting what is posted here. He doesn't seem to mind giving out information on what he is receiving from the City and letting the World know that he won a jackpot from the NY lottery, so why does it bother you?Would you feel more at ease if he was taking home a grand a week? Btw- he lives in Orange County which is 60 plus miles from the City. Live and let Live.
If you read your post, you would see that what you are saying is its " amazing " that he can receive " another child, and renewed vitality".... as though that should never happen...huh?
Oh, you have questions too.
Since you can't answer the questions l posed- how about one you can & should answer..
Why is having millions of dollars in your financial accounts more consistent fun for you- yet when Carmelo gets paid out for health related injuries from 911- you discount him as unworthy? Do you see a double standard here or not?
Forced in to retirement at age 49, because of a 9/11 related ailment. My hat goes off to you. Congratulation! Hope he wins across the board, over this ailment as well.
oh without a doubt. way too young to be force like that from an ailment so this is a good thing for mr. mercado. Congratulations to the lucky winner .
Peace.
1
Congratulations. A good man here.
Yea i had actually caught it on there days ago and also i seen it trending a long time over the weekend back and forth. He deserve this win.real talk
Peace 1