51-Year-Old Single Dad and Cancer Survivor Wins Over $1M Lottery Prize, Plans First Family Trip Abroad

A 51-year-old single dad from Attleborough, England, Paul Harvey, is celebrating more than just beating cancer — he’s now a millionaire.

According to reports from BBC, The Independent, and the Eastern Daily Press, Harvey checked his National Lottery account on July 4 expecting a small win of £5 and a free Lucky Dip ticket. But when the National Lottery reached out to him a week later, he realized he’d actually hit the jackpot.

Paul had won the EuroMillions Millionaire Maker game’s top prize of £1 million ($1.3 million).

Tempering his excitement, Harvey waited to share the news with his kids in person. He set up his phone to record the moment his son came home, and the two erupted with laughter and jumps of joy.

“I wanted to tell the kids face to face, so when my son got home, I recorded it. Waiting for them to get back from school felt like forever,” he told the Eastern Daily Press. “Their reactions were both hilarious and heartwarming. We all feel ridiculously excited and relieved — it still doesn’t seem real!”

Having recently undergone two years of treatment for bowel cancer, Harvey now looks forward to the future as both a survivor and a millionaire. He plans to save for his children’s education, buy his daughter her first car — a Fiat 500 — and celebrate with their first international trip, as he shared with the BBC.

“Life hasn’t always been easy, but the kids mean the world to me, and they always come first,” he said.

Harvey spent over a decade living in Cyprus during his youth and hopes to return there with his family. However, the family has decided to take their vacation in Greece first, once their passports are ready.

The National Lottery congratulated Paul on August 7 with a post on X: “Meet Paul, who recently won £1M on EuroMillions. After a difficult couple of years following bowel cancer, Paul is looking ahead to brighter moments. Starting with a family trip to Greece with his two children (passports pending!).”