Life changing

"Mum behind life changing dose of luck" – new Thunderball player wins £500k on anniversary of mother's passing

A man from Milton Keynes who had only been playing Thunderball for a couple of months is celebrating after winning the top prize. He says the £500,000 win is thanks to his mum who passed away five years earlier to the day that he discovered his slice of good fortune.

William Cushion, 55, was preparing to go to work and thinking of his mother when he discovered the win. He revealed how the win has put a smile on the whole family’s face.

William said, “Since mum passed away it’s been a really tough time for the whole family. This win will bring so much joy for me, my dad and those closest to me, and with it coinciding with the day mum died, I can’t help thinking she’s behind this life–changing dose of luck. It turned a day we were expecting to be sad, as we all reflected on how much we missed her, into a day of joy and happiness and that’s just the type of thing mum would have wanted.”

Online win

William was getting ready to start a 12–hour shift as a valet car park attendant at 6am on Sunday morning when he discovered his win.

“I’d tried to check my account online before I left home but couldn’t access it so while I was having a cup of tea before starting work I decided to have another look. I just couldn’t believe it when I saw the message. I genuinely got the shock of my life and I must have looked a right state because my work mates immediately asked if I was OK. My response was to say ‘I’ve won half a million quid’; pretty sure they weren’t expecting that!”

William wasted no time in making plans for the future. He handed in his fluro jacket and headed home. “As soon as I saw that winning message I knew I didn’t need to be starting a 12–hour shift, instead I could head home and book a flight to go on holiday to Thailand – first class naturally!”

Bright future

William is looking ahead to a brighter future where he may be using valet parking rather than being a valet parker.

“While my decision to leave work may appear rash, I’m a very considered person and I fully intend to plan wisely for the future with this amazing win. I’ve always said that if I won the lottery it would be a step up for me and that I would never step back down so I will enjoy it but be careful along the way.

“But this win isn’t just about me. I’m sure mum had a hand in it because recently dad has been really worried about my housing situation after he has gone. Now he doesn’t need to worry and that’s a huge weight off both our minds.”

William bought his Thunderball ticket online at The National Lottery website. His winning numbers on Saturday 19 November were 3, 6, 15, 26, 38 and the Thunderball 10.

The National Lottery has been changing the lives of winners and supporting good causes across the UK since 1994. In that time, there have been more than 7,000 new millionaires created and by playing The National Lottery you raise over £4 million for Good Causes every dayΔ.

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