(StraightShooterNews.com) – In a stunning display of American luck and perseverance, a hardworking North Carolina carpenter turned a found $20 bill into a $1 million lottery windfall.
Banner Elk resident, Jerry Hicks’ journey to unexpected wealth began in the parking lot of a Speedway convenience store in Boone, North Carolina.
He spotted a $20 bill on the ground, and rather than pocketing the cash, he decided to invest it in a $25 Extreme Cash scratch-off lottery ticket.
The odds of winning the top prize in the Extreme Cash game are a staggering 1 in 2,017,650. Yet, against all odds, Hicks’ ticket revealed the coveted $1 million jackpot.
On October 25, Hicks claimed his prize at the North Carolina lottery headquarters, opting for a lump sum payment instead of an annuity.
After taxes, he walked away with a substantial $429,007 – a sum that promises to fundamentally change his life and that of his family.
“We are going to head straight to Golden Corral and eat everything they’ve go,” Jerry Hicks said.
After 56 years of dedicated service as a carpenter, Hicks now contemplates a well-deserved retirement.
His plans to use the winnings to help his children demonstrate the strong family values that continue to define the best of American society.
Meanwhile, Hicks’ story is part of a larger trend of good fortune sweeping across North Carolina.
In the same week, a man from Gastonia claimed a $429,003 after-tax prize from another million-dollar scratch-off, while a lucky individual in Goldsboro secured a $107,251 Powerball win.
As state-run lotteries continue to provide opportunities for life-changing wins, it is crucial to remember that they also contribute significantly to public education and other vital services.
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