The 64-year-old begins her work at M&S at 2am and finishes at 9am.
One lottery winner is proving that hard work is more important than easy money. Elaine Thompson, from Killingworth, North Tyneside, won a whopping £2.7 million jackpot on the lottery back in 1995 but continues to work even today. According to LADbible, the shop assistant at Marks & Spencer wanted to teach her kids an important life lesson. Something all of us can learn from, to be honest. "I had two young children at the time when I made the decision. It's important that children see you working hard, and that we don't get anything out of life unless you work hard for it," she illuminated.
Lottery Winner Who Claimed £2.7 Million Jackpot Still Stacks Shelves https://t.co/QqXMfHqZ6x
— 🏳️🌈 euna 🦄 (she/her) 💛💛 (@eunamariebernal) September 4, 2020
The inspiring 64-year-old begins her shift at 2 am and gets done by 9 am. When Thompson hit the jackpot in 1995, her kids Karen and Gary were five and 10 years old at the time. She and her husband Derek, 62, selflessly ended up using the money to help their kids buy homes. Thompson has been so dedicated to her job for years that last year she even worked throughout the lockdown despite having asthma. "I did the 2 am starts every day, so I'm in from 2 am to 9 am. The company was fantastic. They let me go at 8.30 am because I'm asthmatic and I'm vulnerable so I was not with any of the customers. I was leaving the house at 1.15 am every morning, I get up at midnight. A couple of times during lockdown it was really really hard. I was driving to work thinking 'What am I doing? But I kept working all the way through. I could not have done furlough. I'm coming up to 65 next week but I'm not ready to retire yet."
Thompson and her husband have been together for over 25 years now. And over time, people still continue to wonder why Thompson would resort to working when she can have an easier life. The 64-year-old confesses she absolutely loves working and doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon. "People ask me why I have not got a cleaner. If she came to clean, I would have cleaned the house before she got here. I absolutely love my job and just because I won the lottery, this didn't make me want to give up work. I think it is all about balance. I have continued to work but work hours which are more suited to me and with the remainder of the time I have been able to help out at and support charities which are close to me."
According to Chronicle Live, Thompson and her semi-retired accountant husband do enjoy the occasional holiday as well. They've been on dozens of trips to Vegas, but a lot of their winnings were taken out to help Gary and Karen buy their first houses and get on the property ladder. What did they first spend their money on as soon as they won back in the '90s? They bought a new Ford Fiesta and later they bought three racehorses! They don't splurge as much as you would expect of millionaires but they do take time to enjoy life as well. However, the early shifts four days a week at the store help to keep Thomspson grounded. "For me, I was brought up to be a hard worker, I love to work. I have got the best job in the world," she said.
Woman who won £2.7m lottery jackpot still stacking shelves at M&S 25 years laterhttps://t.co/EJD8ulaEz0 pic.twitter.com/a7felBvkIP
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) August 31, 2020
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Cover image source (representational): Getty Images | BanksPhotos
