Lottery Winners Given "The Gift of Time"
It has been 30 years since the first National Lottery draw. Over that time, £50 billion has been raised for good causes, and many people have become millionaires. One of them is Ruth Doyle, who shared how winning the lottery changed her life.
Ruth, who lives in Wiltshire, won £1 million in June 2014 while she was working abroad. But she didn’t realize she had won until August because she hadn’t checked her emails properly.
Winning the lottery allowed Ruth and her husband to retire early and spend more time with their family and friends.
"If we hadn't won, we would probably be struggling," said Ruth. "Our life is much less stressful now."
A Surprise Win
It took over two months for the couple to even realize they had won.
Ruth first noticed £25 in her bank account from the lottery. She thought it was a nice little bonus and didn’t think much about it. Then, a couple of months later, she got a phone call.
"It was just a normal Friday afternoon, and then everything changed," she said.
A woman from the National Lottery told her about the £1 million prize. At first, Ruth thought it was a scam.
After confirming it was real, the couple took their time deciding what to do with the money.
The Gift of Time
The win gave them what Ruth calls "the gift of time."
First, they paid off their mortgage. Then, they decided to support a charity by buying a Shaun the Sheep statue for the Bristol Children's Hospital. The statue had previously been displayed at Paddington Station.
Another cause they cared about was rescuing dogs in Romania. Ruth, who had already adopted a dog from there, used some of her winnings to visit Romania. She helped feed animals at a shelter and brought some dogs back to find new homes.
Advice for Future Winners
If you ever win a big lottery prize, Ruth advises taking time to think about what to do.
"Take a few weeks to let it sink in and discuss your options," she said. "Depending on your age and personality, you’ll figure out what’s best for you."
Ruth and her husband kept working for a while but made sure to spend more time with their loved ones.
A few years later, Ruth took redundancy from her job, but thanks to the lottery win, she didn’t have to find another one. Her husband, Peter, also retired early.
Now in their 60s, Ruth says their life would have been completely different without the win.
"It has given us more time to spend together, with family, friends, and on the things we love," she said.
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