Billy Aliff is an auto mechanic from New Castle Virginia. Well he was anyway. He plans to quit his day job, but continue to work on cars from his home after lucking his way to $2 million in lottery payments, according to Yahoo Parenting. He plans to take the lottery lump sum payout over the lottery annuity option. His plans for the money are the most inspiring part of the story though.
Aliff’s father is part of the 35% of the American population (64 million people total) that reported having trouble paying bills or were stuck with medical debt in 2014. He’s been undergoing chemotherapy and other treatments for cancer that have piled up a mountain of debt well over the $3,761 the average American adult owes to creditors and lenders.
“I hope it makes it easier, but I know with money comes a whole lot of responsibility,” Aliff said.
He bought the tickets the same way he has for many years. Playing the lottery is the most popular version of gambling in the U.S. according to surveys, and while many people stick with the same numbers that might have some sort of personal meaning to them, Aliff’s approach is about as lucky as one can get when it comes to lottery winnings.
“On Saturdays I play my $3 and I pick my own numbers by random,” Aliff said. “My daughters always think it?s funny, because I always close my eyes and pick them.”
Once he receives his lottery lump sum payout he’ll be able to start helping his dad pay off the bills he’s accumulated, which is common for winners to do according to Virginia lottery spokesman, John Hagerty.
“When we talk to people who?ve won large prizes, by far the most common thing they say is that they?ll give money to family,” Hagerty said. “Whether it?s sickness, student loans, or future education goals, if they have young children, helping family is the first thing they say that they?ll do.”
According to Mike Carper, the store manager where Aliff bought the winning ticket, no one could have been a more deserving winner.
“If anyone could use it, he could,” Carper said. Read more articles like this.