After stumbling upon a $20 bill lying on the ground, Jerry Hicks, a seasoned carpenter from North Carolina, USA, experienced an unexpected stroke of fortune that turned his life around. On October 22, outside a Speedway convenience store near Boone, North Carolina, Hicks came across the stray bill. The 66-year-old master carpenter from Banner Elk decided to try his luck and used the found money to purchase an Extreme Cash scratch-off lottery ticket.
In a press release, Hicks shared that his choice of ticket wasn’t planned: “They actually didn’t have the ticket I was looking for, so I bought that one instead.” This impromptu decision paid off in a big way, as he ended up winning a $1 million jackpot.
Faced with the decision on how to claim his prize, Hicks had two options: receive an annuity of $50,000 annually over 20 years, or opt for a lump-sum payout of $600,000. He chose the latter, taking home $429,007 after state and federal taxes were deducted.
With his unexpected windfall, Hicks has big plans for his family and future. After 56 years of working as a carpenter, he aims to retire and use some of the winnings to support his children.
When asked about his first splurge, Hicks humorously remarked, “We are going to head straight to Golden Corral and eat everything they’ve got,” sharing his excitement in a light-hearted manner.
Interestingly, Hicks isn’t the only recent lottery winner in the region. Just two days prior, George Hurt from Virginia claimed a $1 million prize after trying his luck consistently for 13 years. His winning ticket, with odds exceeding one in 600,000, was purchased at the 604 Minute Market on Cloverdale Road, which has since gained a reputation as a lucky spot. Hurt chose to receive his prize as a one-time payment of $571,000 before taxes.
These back-to-back lottery wins serve as a reminder that life-changing luck can sometimes be just around the corner, or in Jerry Hicks’ case, lying on the ground outside a convenience store.
