VIDEO: CA pizza delivery man down to his last dollars wins lottery
HEMET, Calif. -- A pizza delivery driver in California who was down on his luck changed his fortune overnight. The moment Joseph Carrillo realized his life had just changed forever was captured on a store's security camera.
With shaking hands and hugs for everyone in sight, Carrillo wiped away tears after learning he'd won more than a million dollars in the California Lottery.
"One swipe and it says, 'Life.' I look over at my nephew, did that just happen?" Carrillo recalled.
At first the 31-year-old pizza delivery driver said he didn't realize he'd won the jackpot. So he rushed back to Paradise Express Liquor Store where he purchased the scratch-off ticket.
"Ran in, that's where you see the video of me running in and just cutting everyone else in line and yelling at Efrain, 'is this real?' Did this just happen?'" Carrillo said.
Store manager Efrain Murrillo took the scratch off and checked it. He then gave Carrillo the good news.
"His expression on his face was like, 'whoa.' He went from being excited to crying because he just realized he'd won $1.2 million," Murrillo said.
Carrillo was jumping for joy as the Jan. 28 winnings could not have come at a better time. Carrillo said he was down to his last few dollars and was moving out of his apartment because he didn't have enough money to cover the rent.
"It was a sad day, it really was, it was by far one of the worst days," Carrillo recalled.
Carrillo took the lump sum and will receive $696,000 before taxes. He said he planned to continue with college and invest wisely.
As for his delivery job at Pizza Hut? Carrillo said he'll be back to work as scheduled. And when he does, Carrillo could very well be the richest pizza delivery man in California.
