Carmelo Mercado (63), a firefighter who participated in the search for missing people after the collapse of the WTC skyscrapers in New York, is on forced retirement due to his health condition. Recently, he bought a few lottery tickets, and fate repaid him for his heroism - he won $5 million.
Mercado was a member of Fire Brigade No. 49 in New York. He was one of the first and most heroic people who fought against the effects of the collapse of the well-known trade center. This ended with a lung disease caused by long hours of work on the dusty rubble of what were once the tallest buildings in the world. His health condition caused his retirement, and he was covered by medical protection (from funds for firefighters, police officers, and others) after the attack. He received a pension of $91,000 per year.
Although he did not lack much to live, fate still smiled upon him. He once bought a CashX100 scratch card for $20. It was the second play card he had ever purchased, and he was the one who won big money. This caused him a great shock and two sleepless nights. How many people at that moment couldn't believe what happened? Because in the US, the size of the prize depends on the type of withdrawal, Mercado was left with only $3.3 million because he chose a one-time payment. The entire amount of $5 million can only be obtained if you accept annual payments. He has three children, so he will have no problem distributing the funds.
Source: https://time.com/3945399/new-york-firefighter-911-lottery-carmelo-mercado/