I won £130,000 lottery jackpot after my life spiralled into tragedy… but brushed it off as just another fiver
A NATIONAL lottery player bagged more than £130,000 after his life had spiralled into tragedy but he initially brushed off the win as being just another fiver.
Jonathan Aldridge, 32, from Crawley, West Sussex, was just a teenager when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare form of cancer.
He went through gruelling rounds of chemotherapy to beat the devastating disease and has now pocketed an incredible £133,173.20 having bought some EuroMillions Lucky Dip tickets.
Jonathan said: “I had £5 in my account so decided to try my luck in the upcoming EuroMillions draw.
“The following morning I saw an email from The National Lottery with news about my ticket, and assumed it was £2.70 or maybe another fiver.”
The accountant missed the message from The National Lottery saying to give them a call and when he didn’t see his bank balance rise, he thought the email might be a prank.
Back when he was a young lad, his parents played a trick on him and his four brothers by telling them they had won the lottery on April Fool’s Day.
Jonathan said: “So, when I received a message about the win but couldn’t see a change in my funds on the National Lottery app I was suspicious to say the least.”
It wasn’t until he checked the actual ticket that he realised the life-changing news.
He said: “It was only when I checked the actual ticket on the app that I spotted the best message ever, ‘you’ve won £133k’.”
Despite it being just 7.30am, Jonathan called his middle brother, who didn’t believe him at first.
What followed was a barrage of colourful language and plenty of laughter.
Jonathan then walked into his parents’ bedroom to deliver the magic words, “I think I’ve won the Lottery.”
Jonathan knows already what he is going to put the winnings towards – a deposit on a house, more trips overseas as well as making a donation to the charity Young Lives Versus Cancer.
He said: “I shared the news of my win because hopefully it will show other people who may be going through a tough time that there is hope, and that magic does happen.
“I will never take for granted how lucky I was to beat cancer.
“I watched as other young sufferers, including my best friend, were not as lucky.
“So, in a way, I feel that living the very best life I can and making the most of this opportunity is in their honour too.”
UK'S biggest lottery winners
By Ethan Singh
- Anonymous winner – £195,707,000
A UK ticket-holder scooped the record EuroMillions jackpot of £195 million on July 19 2022 – the biggest National Lottery win of all time.
The holder, who remains anonymous to this day, amassed the fortune with just one lucky ticket.
- Joe and Jess Thwaite – £184,262,899.10
Britain’s previous EuroMillions record holders were Joe and Jess Thwaite.
The couple won a record-breaking £184million jackpot in May 2022 and shared hopes of a Hawaiian holiday and a new horse box for their children’s ponies.
Joe bought his winning ticket online on May 10, 2022, and the following morning received an email with good news.
As he learnt of the huge win, he was in disbelief and initially kept it for himself as he did not want to disturb his wife, who was sleeping.
Joe, a communications sales engineer, and Jess, who runs a hairdressing salon with her sister, have been married for 11 years and have two children.
- Colin and Chris Weir, £161,653,000
Colin and Christine Weir landed the colossal prize money in 2011 and were Europe’s second-biggest winners until someone in Italy won a jackpot worth £193m in 2019.
They splashed the cash at an astounding rate of £100,000 a week before tragedy struck.
But at the time of Colin’s death in December 2019 his share of the prize money had dwindled by around £40m.
He spent the millions living a life of luxury, forking out for sports cars, property and the football club he supported.
Colin and Christine divorced shortly before his death after being married for 38 years.
He left money for their children Carly and Jamie.
- Adrian and Gillian Brayford – £148,600,000
Adrian and Gillian won 190 million euros in a EuroMillions draw in August 2012, which came to just over £148 million.
But Adrian split from Gillian the following year because of the stress of the win.
The couple bought a Grade II listed estate in Cambridgeshire, complete with cinema and billiards room, but it was sold in 2021.
After divorcing in 2013, he failed to woo ex-sausage factory worker Marta Jarosz — but fell for stable girl Sam Burbidge.
She left him in 2017, taking 30 prize horses Adrian bought.
It might have worked out in the end for Adrian though as the former postman was seen smiling with ambulance worker Tracey Biles last year.
- Frances and Patrick Connolly – £114,969,775
Former social worker and teacher Frances set up two charitable foundations after she and her husband hit the jackpot.
They scooped almost £115 million on New Year’s Day 2019.
She estimates that she has already given away £60 million to charitable causes, as well as friends and family.
- Richard and Debbie Nuttall – £61,000,000
The couple from Colne, Lancashire, took home £61 million on January 30 2024.
Both 54, they were enjoying a holiday in Fuerteventura, celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary.
But they then discovered the big EuroMillions win.
Richard revealed they originally thought they had won £2.60, but then received another email telling the pair to check their account.
Other eye-watering anonymous winners:
- 2019 – £123million
Another anonymous winner scooped up a prize of £123,458,008 in the June Superdraw rollover.
- 2021 – £122million
Following nine rollovers, one ticketholder bagged the £122,550,350 jackpot last April.
The successful participant chose to remain anonymous.
- 2018 – £121million
Another anonymous winner found their fortune during the Superdraw jackpot rollover in April 2018, securing £121,328,187.
After discovering a growth on his neck when he was a teenager, he started “receiving particularly aggressive chemotherapy” at hospital.
And when he was given the news he would have to undergo radiotherapy, he “wasn’t confident [he] would make it”.
Jonathan said: “But six harrowing months of treatment later, I was one of the very lucky ones to be told I was in remission, and they couldn’t detect any signs of the cancer.”
Jonathan’s win comes after a couple of tough years for the family.
His dad suffered from a triple heart bypass, two heart attacks and a two-month coma where he lost both of his legs.
Jonathan added: “My family’s support has been central to my recovery so now, thanks to my sudden EuroMillions luck, I can repay that support.
“We are all very close, when I lost my hair due to the chemotherapy my four brothers all shaved their heads in solidarity, so now I’ll show my solidarity to them with a slap-up meal out to celebrate.
“I really hope that this amazing moment of luck heralds the start of a lucky phase not just for me, but for the whole family.”
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.gambleaware.org
Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk