Winning the lottery often means a change in life, and although in all cases it is not for the better and there are those who waste their fortune, others prefer to continue living a humble life despite being rich. This has been the case of an 86-year-old man who, together with his late wife, won a prize of 7.6 million pounds (more than 9 million euros) in the lottery, but continues to pay attention even to the price of a pair of socks when you have to buy them.
Ray Wragg, according to the British media The Sun, decided with his wife continue leading a simple lifestyle even though the award could have changed their lives forever. “That (referring to the award) changed our lives, but not us as people” he explained. To such an extent that, being millionaires, they continue to pay attention to the money they spend even when they buy simple socks.
But this story goes much further, and has captured the attention of many people not only because of the way they did not ‘waste’ the award when they won it almost two decades ago, but because use money in a unique way.
They decided to use their prize to help others
Although Ray decided Leaving his job as a roofer after winning the award, his attitude towards money did not change.. Instead of focusing on luxury and eccentricities, he and his wife have since dedicated much of their fortune to charity, deeply impacting their community and many charities in the United Kingdom.
After the initial surprise of winning the lottery, the couple decided give yourself some ‘treats’ to make your life a little easier, such as buying a car or enjoying a well-deserved vacation on board a cruise ship. But They soon realized that they could do a lot with the money that he had been lucky enough to win.
From that moment the couple began to make donations to the causes they considered appropriate. OROne of the first important ones, according to information from the aforementioned media, was at the Sheffield Hallamshire Hospital, which was equipped with a bladder scanner. And this was not the only one they collaborated with, they also did it at Weston Park Hospital, a special place for them, since there they treated their daughter for Ewing sarcoma (a type of cancer).
Over the years, the couple continued to donate, for example £12,000 (almost €15,000), to enable World War II veterans to return to Monte Cassino, Italy, to attend memorial events. Others were children’s hospices and other institutions as well as other altruistic acts.
Their generosity took them to Buckingham Palace
The couple’s generosity did not go unnoticed, and the company organizing the National Lottery gave them a special trophy for his altruistic work.
And this was not the only award they received, since thanks to their generosity they lived one of the best moments of their lives, according to Ray Wragg, and that is that They were invited to Buckingham Palace, and participated in the prestigious Pride of Britain awards, where they were honored for their caring spirit and positive impact on society.
A legacy of humility and kindness
Barbara Wragg passed away in 2018 at age 77, leaving a legacy of generosity that remains alive in the memory of all those who knew her. According to her husband, she used to say that the amount they had won was “too much for two people”, and that was the conviction that led the couple not to waste their prize and share a large part of the fortune.
For Ray, money was always secondary; The important thing was to stay true to himself and help others.