A father who won $31 million on lottery said it was the ‘worst thing that ever happened’ to him before he passed away.
After Billie Bob Harell Jr won a fortune on the Texas Lotto, he said that his life spiraled downward.
Before his win, the former Marine had been working at a Home Depot store to support his family.
Billie Bob’s life changed in June 1997 when he bought some Quick Pick tickets at a gas station before the Texas Lotto draw.
The next day, he went to work without checking his tickets then realized that he had scooped the jackpot after seeing the result numbers in a newspaper.
He then decided to take his winnings in $1.24 million installments, saying at that time: “Everyone kept telling me it (life) would get better. I didn’t realize it would get this much better.”
Billie Bob bought a ranch, homes and cars for his family, and also made huge donations to the church. He also gave some cash to those in need.
But his life spiraled downward when he could no longer control his expenditures and his marriage broke down less than a year after his win.
The father’s misfortune was also intensified when he hired a company to manage his money but it turned out to be a scam.
Only 20 months after he won $31 million, Billie Bob passed away.
He left his wife a heartbreaking note that read: “I didn’t want this. I just wanted you,” The Sun reported.
Before he was found dead, he told a financial adviser: “Winning the lottery was the worst thing that ever happened to me.”
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