A retired lorry driver has marked his life-changing Omaze win by getting the company's logo permanently inked on his wrist. Andrew Williams, 66, from Shepton Mallet, Somerset, bagged £1 million just seven days after retiring from a 35-year career as an HGV driver, and commemorated the moment with a distinctive new tattoo.
From Worry to Windfall
Andrew, who regularly covered more than 1,500 miles a week, admitted his first week of retirement was dominated by anxiety about his financial future. But those worries have now vanished. He said: 'I'll be honest, I was worried about the size of my pension pot. With rent and the cost of everything going up, I thought I was going to have to scrimp and save. So for this to happen now it's just unbelievable. It has changed everything.'
A Unique Commemoration
Andrew chose to celebrate his win in a distinctive way. He explained: 'Obviously I'll always remember winning every time I look at my bank account, but I like to get tattoos that represent important moments in my life, and this fits the bill – so I got the Omaze logo tattooed on my wrist. Luckily I do think it's a pretty cool logo, otherwise I'd have had to place it somewhere a bit less visible.'
The day he found out he had won was ordinary until the phone rang. He went to tell his daughter in person and had just one beer to celebrate before going home to sit alone and take it all in. The next day, however, he celebrated properly at a family barbecue. 'I got absolutely hammered!' he laughed. 'If you can't let your hair down after becoming a millionaire, when can you? I got the beers in – no champagne though, as it gives me heartburn!'
Family First
A father-of-three and grandfather-of-one, with another grandchild due later this year, Andrew said the greatest impact of his windfall will be felt by those closest to him. He plans to help his children get on the property ladder and invest the bulk of his prize money to secure his family's future. 'If I can make life a bit easier for them, that means everything to me,' he said.
Modest Plans
Despite his new millionaire status, Andrew has no intention of living lavishly. He is content renting his two-bedroom flat and will invest most of the money, using the interest as income. He will treat himself to a nice watch and a second-hand Mercedes GLE, but not a sports car – 'I wouldn't be able to get in and out of it with my knees!' He is also planning a trip to the Rugby World Cup in Australia, possibly upgrading to business class.
Andrew had been entering the Omaze Monthly Millionaire Draw for almost two years without expecting to win. His only previous prize was a burger-shaped radio that didn't work, won in a Wimpy competition 40 years ago. 'In 66 years, nothing like this has ever happened to me. To be honest, I'd have been happy with a tenner, so a million is out of this world!' he said.
Matt Pohlson, CEO and Founder of Omaze, commented: 'To go from worrying about your retirement to winning £1 million just days later is extraordinary. It's brilliant to see Andrew able to look after his family, enjoy his retirement and make plans he simply couldn't have considered a week ago. Everyone at Omaze is absolutely thrilled for him and his family.'
