For those in need of a feel good story (and I think that's all of us), I bring you an extra cheery one from North Carolina. Terri Watkins of Durham is a nurse who for the past several months has been taking care of patients in a COVID unit. If anyone deserved a break, it would probably be her. So we're smiling along with her when she heard she won $1 million from the $300,000,000 Supreme Riches second-chance drawing.
“I thought that it was a scam," Watkins said about the congratulatory call from the state Education Lottery. "I was a little upset actually! I thought that it was not real, couldn’t be real. It’s still something that I really don’t believe, I’m still in some shock here.”
She took home the lump sum, which totaled $424,500 after state and federal taxes.
“I’m just gonna take it slow and easy and figure out what I’m gonna do,” said Watkins. “I would love a new home, but I’ve just got to take time and put it in the right place.”
Watkins said she's been "praying" for news like this after such a turbulent year.
“I’m a nurse and I work in the COVID unit at a long-term care facility,” the grateful nurse said. “Just seeing some of the things that I’ve had to see, I am very thankful. I had been praying for something to help me with this situation. It really is a great thing. I’m very blessed.”
Well wishers on Facebook sent her their congratulations, adding they're "so glad it’s going to someone who really needs it."
We can't all win the lottery, but if we can't have it I think we're okay with Terri, one of our brave health care workers, taking home the prize.