When you read an article about a lottery winner, there are usually a few things that always seem to get a mention. There’s the story about how they told their family and friends the good news and a desire to donate some cash to charities. It seems for a player from California, USA, he ticked neither of those boxes.
The $55 million winner from ten years ago is now 67 years old. His revelations came in a letter to ‘The Moneyist.’ That’s Quentin Fottrell, who is a financial agony uncle who is used to receiving letters about wills and divorce rather than from lottery winners.
The letter included the shock statement that he didn’t tell anyone in his family “or anyone for that matter” of his great California Lottery success. Nor has any charity benefited from his lottery windfall. He believes that if he’d told anyone about his luck, he “would be broke” now.
Ten years after he became a lottery millionaire said he had a good reason not to share any of his winnings with his sister. He admits that he doesn’t like her and thinks little of her husband. It was also felt that his sister might have suggested giving half his win to the church.
The letter revealed that he hadn’t spoken to his sister for the past ten years. He hopes that she has no clue where he is now living. He accused her trying “to do some horrible things to our parents, which I managed to put a stop to.
Since his big win he says he’s kept a low profile. A truck and a new house were purchased but didn’t that arise any suspicion from those who knew him? “ I told them I was renting the house. Was I wrong to not tell anyone?” said the secretive lottery winner.
There’s been no help given to charities either. He also doesn’t believe in loaning money to friends and relatives. If he had done that, then he believes his fortune would have been lost by now. His letter was signed “Low-Key Lottery Winner’ and says that he is “comfortable” with the life he now leads.
Quentin Fottrell replied to the surprising letter: “Money cannot buy you authentic relationships with friends and neighbours, and it can’t buy you more time on the planet. For that reason, I see nothing wrong with living your life the way you want to live it and resisting the urge to share the news with anyone, even and especially your family.”
He did however suggest that the lottery winner (who under Californian law could stay anonymous), should consider leaving some cash to charities in his will. That way it will be put to good use and not be wasted. One gets the feeling whatever he does in his will, that sister of his isn’t going to get left a cent.
