Nurse Who’s Working The Front Lines Of Covid Wins Lottery

By kncipat on January 15, 2021
Photo by Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

I thought it was a scam. I was a little upset actually!” Terri Watkins thought somebody was scamming her. The call was from the North Carolina lottery telling her she’d won a million dollars. 

Terri’s a nurse at a long term health facility and has been on the front lines of Covid since the pandemic started. Day after long day she tends to and comforts Covid patients. Most days are hard. Very hard. “Just seeing some of the things I’ve had to see, I am very thankful for this,” said Watkins. Like most people who buy a lottery ticket Terri thought she had no chance of winning the big prize. So she really did think somebody was pranking her when she got the call. She was given the option of 20 yearly payments of $50,000 or the lump sum of $424,500 (after state and federal taxes….unlike California, North Carolina takes state taxes out of lottery winnings). Terry took the lump sum. What will she do with the money? “I would love a new home, but I’ve just got to take time and put it in the right place.” 

We can never give enough thanks for medical workers and first responders who are on the front lines of this pandemic. Seeing Terri win is a good feeling. And while it’s not a million dollars we are recognizing healthcare heroes every week. If you know someone like Terri who’s a nurse, in the medical field, or first responder let’s honor them. It’s easy to do. Just head here

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