Barry White, 52, from Tonypandy, Wales, had been rushed for treatment after falling ill with a flare-up of ulcerative colitis.
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But he was left stunned when his partner Tracy Minton and the People’s Postcode Lottery team revealed his £333,333 cheque on a WhatsApp video call.
Hospital porter Barry, speaking from his hospital bed, said: “You can’t beat medicine like that.”
He shared the £1m jackpot with two neighbours as the winner of Postcode Lottery‘s weekly Millionaire Street prize on September 23.
But he struggled to take in the whopping windfall.
Barry, who suffered a stroke four years ago and has also undergone heart surgery, said: “Oh my God! Brilliant. I can’t believe it, it’s mad.
“It hasn’t really sunk in. I’m not feeling my best or looking my best.
“I haven’t really thought about what we can do with the money. It’s hard to think straight. I’m up to my eyeballs on strong antibiotics.
“But we’ll sort family and friends out.”
Partner Tracy, 52, broke down in tears and started shaking when she saw the cheque, then – still holding the phone while livestreaming Barry – she blurted out: “Are you serious?”
She had been frantic with worry for Barry after making a dash to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital with him days before.
Tracy, who also works in the hospital as a support worker in the endoscopy department, said: “I took him to the A&E. He was really unwell and not feeling like himself.
“They gave him intravenous steroids and he’s now on antibiotics.
“We had discussed what the amount might be before her went into hospital.
“But it was nothing like this. This is a life-changing opportunity.”
The divorced mum-of-two, who has been with Barry for five years, added: “This hasn’t sunk in yet for Barry or me. I might upgrade the car though.”
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
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