9/11 First Responder Hits $5 Million Lottery Jackpot

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