Forget flash cars, £1MMillion Lotto winner wants to help others

Toni, 32, a payments and admin assistant from County Durham, said, “I tried to ring my mum but she wasn’t answering, so I woke my son up and we jumped in the car to mum’s. She was visibly concerned when we turned up out of the blue and kept asking what was wrong.

“I remember saying something like, ‘I think you need to sit down’ before telling her that I’d won £1MMillion on The National Lottery. She couldn’t believe it. She was in the middle of starting the Sunday lunch and just stood there shaking. I was on autopilot for the rest of the day and didn’t sleep a wink that night.”

Toni’s winning story started after she bought two Lucky Dip tickets for the Lotto draw on Saturday 27th April 2024. She said, “On the odd Saturday, I might buy some Lucky Dips on Lotto, which is exactly what I did that afternoon. I didn’t do anything with them until I woke up at eight the next morning and thought I would have a look.

“I checked one of the lines and realised I had some of the numbers. I originally thought I had matched five numbers, which was £1,700 and I was buzzing that I’d won that. But when I logged into my online account it came along the top that I had won £1MMillion. I sat there counting the zeros, shaking in bed.”

Toni admits she’s still coming to terms with her good fortune. She said, “There are no words to express how you feel. I had this excited butterfly feeling having the win officially confirmed and then seeing all of the zeros in my bank account. You sit and think about what you’d do all the time if you won, but then, when it happens, you don’t know what to do.

“I did take my son shopping and we bought some toys, but even then I told him certain things were too expensive. I have always had to be cautious with money so it doesn’t feel right to spend lots on things I wouldn’t have bought before. I am not a materialistic person, even now I find a pair of trainers over £100 far too expensive!”

Toni has no plans to stop working and wants to ensure her young son understands the importance of hard work. She said, “I texted my manager and said, ‘something bizarre has happened at the weekend, can you give me a ring?’. When I told him I’d won £1MMillion on The National Lottery he could not believe it. I asked to have a few days off to try and get my head around it all.

“I will keep working – it gives my son a good upbringing and he can learn the value of working hard. My mum has always worked and I want him to have a good mindset and learn that for the nice things in life, you have to earn them. I want to be a good role model for him. I have worked since the age of 17 – I would be bored and lost if I didn’t work.”

Toni has decided to buy a new car – a Kia Sportage. She said, “You think you’re going to get a flash car when you win, but I quickly realised that really isn’t me. I am just happy with the prospect of a new car.”

Toni would rather use her good fortune to help others. She said, “I just want to help others really. I’ve helped out family members and I want to do something special for my mum and dad. No amount of money can repay them for all they have done for me.

“I am also going to take my son to Disney World Florida. You only live once and he has never been abroad. I get a lot of comfort out of helping others – that’s what I get a buzz out of.”

29th May 2024