Homeless man who won $1,000,000 on lottery ticket met with incredible act of kindness from store manager he bought it from
A homeless man’s life changed forever after he bought a lottery scratcher ticket from a small store he’s been going to for years. The man, whose name hasn’t been shared, had been a regular at Sandy’s Deli-Liquor in San Luis Obispo, California.
He’d known the owner, Wilson Samaan, for over a decade. Even though he was homeless, Wilson trusted him enough to let him watch the store sometimes when he needed to step away.
One day, the man walked into the store and bought a Red 777 scratcher ticket. He scratched it right there inside the store and saw he had won. At first, he thought it was $100,000. Excited and unsure, he called Wilson over and asked him to check it.
Wilson took the ticket and ran it through the lottery machine. What he saw surprised them both. It wasn’t $100,000 it was actually $1,000,000.
The man was shocked. He looked at Wilson and said, “I’m not homeless anymore.” Wilson smiled, gave him a high five, and told him, “You hit the jackpot. That’s one million dollars, brother. Congratulations.”
But Wilson didn’t just stop there. He knew how important and valuable the ticket was. So, instead of letting the man risk losing it in the mail, he offered to drive him all the way to the California Lottery office in Fresno himself. A long trip, but worth it to make sure the man would be safe and the ticket would be delivered properly.
Wilson said the man wasn’t sure what to do. He asked, “Should I send it in the mail?” Wilson replied, “Absolutely not. That’s a million-dollar ticket. I’ll take you myself.”
So they made the drive together, and the man started the process to claim his prize. He later said the money is going to change his life. He hopes to buy a home, get a car, and then save or invest what’s left.
Even though he won, it might take some time before he actually gets the money. A spokesperson from the California Lottery, Carolyn Becker, explained that big winners like this go through a careful process. They have to prove who they are, have an interview, and the state checks to see if they owe any money before handing over the prize. This can take a few weeks or even months.
Still, the man is already dreaming of a better life. And through it all, he had someone looking out for him. Wilson didn’t just sell him a ticket he treated him like a friend. In a world where homeless people are often ignored, this store owner made sure someone got the help they needed at the most important moment of their life. It’s not just a story about winning money—it’s also about kindness, trust, and the power of being there for someone when it really counts.
