Norwich Builder Hospitalised After Celebrating £1M Lottery Win for Three Months
A builder from Norwich is recovering in hospital after collapsing at home following three months of intense celebration.
Adam Lopez, aged 39, won £1 million on a National Lottery scratch card in July, instantly increasing his bank balance from £12.40 to £1,000,012.40.
He resigned from his job and spent the summer celebrating with friends and family, convinced that his future was secure.
The celebrations came to a sudden halt on 10 September when Lopez collapsed and was rushed to Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital.
Medical staff diagnosed him with a bilateral pulmonary embolism — a life-threatening condition caused by blood clots in both lungs.
“I could not walk, I could not breathe. It does not matter how much money you have when you are in the back of an ambulance,” he told the BBC.
Lopez remained in hospital for eight days and now faces a recovery period of up to nine months.
He described the experience as a “massive wake-up call,” admitting that leaving his job had disrupted his daily structure.
“I felt like I no longer had a routine — it was a complete disconnect from the life I was used to,” he said.
He recalled purchasing the scratch card at a corner shop while stopping to buy a drink.
“Once in the car I played the scratch card and when I saw the £1 million, I did not know what to do with myself, so I shoved the scratch card in the glovebox without even thinking.
“I always thought I would scream if I ever won big, but when it actually happened, I was stunned into complete silence,”he said.
When he informed his family, his mother “went off like a balloon” out of excitement.
Lopez’s ordeal has reignited public interest in the so-called “lottery curse,” the idea that sudden wealth can lead to personal ruin rather than lasting prosperity.
Several high-profile winners have seen their fortunes disappear within years.
Michael Carroll, dubbed the “Lotto Lout,” won £9.7 million in 2002 at the age of 19. Within a decade, he had declared bankruptcy after spending heavily on drugs and parties, according to The Guardian.
Callie Rogers, Britain’s youngest lottery winner at 16, lost most of her £1.9 million prize and later said she was left “broken,” reports Metro UK.
Lee Ryan, one of the first National Lottery winners in 1994, lost his £6.5 million fortune and served prison time for handling stolen vehicles.
He later described his windfall as a “curse.”
Experts in behavioural finance warn that sudden wealth can trigger emotional instability.
Dr Stephen Goldbart, co-founder of the Money, Meaning & Choices Institute, stated that many individuals who acquire large sums quickly experience anxiety and identity loss.
“Without structure or purpose, they can feel cut off from their previous lives and struggle with the pressures that accompany wealth,” he noted.
Since leaving hospital, Lopez has vowed to slow down and focus on recovery.
He plans to return to work once his health allows and hopes to find a healthier balance.
Financial advisers recommend that lottery winners take time to adjust before making major life changes.
Maintaining employment, hiring a certified financial planner, and setting aside money for emergencies can help new millionaires avoid impulsive decisions.
Lopez’s story serves as a reminder that money alone does not guarantee happiness or health.
His brush with death has turned his win into a lesson in moderation and a warning that luck without balance can be dangerous.
– BBC
