Mercado is pictured with New York Lottery's Yolanda Vega.
An FDNY firefighter who responded to
the World Trade Center after the Sept. 11 terror attacks -- then had to
retire three years later because of the toll it took on his body -- just
hit the lottery.
Carmelo
Mercado, a firefighter from Queens who rushed to Ground Zero moments
after the second twin tower collapsed and spent two days aiding in
search efforts, was presented with a $5 million check Thursday at the
New York Lottery's offices in lower Manhattan.
Mercado said that he hit the lottery
after buying two tickets earlier this year. He said the first one didn't
net him a prize. He said when he saw the first digit of the winning
scratcher, he had to do a double-take.
"I said, 'Holy mackerel, that looks like $5 million'," he said. "My mind went blank. I was in shock."
Full article available here: Carmelo Mercado
Source: NBC News
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