Pandemic-aid store lorry driver a secret Lottery millionaire
A LORRY driver who helped out during the pandemic hid a secret from colleagues – he was a Lotto millionaire.
Steve Schiltz answered the plea for help when a shortage of truckers was cutting off supplies across the country.
He said: “I used to be a lorry driver before winning the Lottery and I had a letter asking me to go back.
“Lots of people with an HGV licence had the same letter from the government but not many of them were Lottery millionaires.
“It made me a key worker and I didn’t think twice – I was happy to help out and it was brilliant to be back in work.
“It meant that instead of money coming out of the bank account we had money coming in!”
Steve, 56, from Pontardawe, Swansea, drove Lidl lorries across Wales and the West Country to help customers stock up during the Covid crisis.
He was inspired by wife Lesley, 56, who carried on working as a freelance health and social care trainer after the couple won their fortune on the Euromillions raffle in 2019.
Lesley, 57, says she loves work too much to pack up but she has gone down to a four-day week.
The couple celebrated their win with a trip to the Maldives and swapped their old Fiat Multipla for a new Land Rover Discovery.
But they still live in the same house and have used some of their fortune for the financial future of their six children and four grandchildren.
Steve puts his good luck down to his “guardian angel”, daughter Theresa, who died of a heart attack aged just 16.
He ran the London Marathon the following year in her memory and to raise funds for sick children.
Steve’s arms are tattooed with Theresa’s name and picture and he puts his Lottery luck down to his little girl watching over him.
The couple still do the Lottery every week and say if they win again they will give it all away to good causes.
Steve said: “We have been very lucky, it’s a wonderful feeling not to have any money worries any more.
“If we won again it would be nice to give it back to people.”
Andy Carter, Camelot winners adviser for The National Lottery, said: “Millions of people across the UK played their part in supporting key services and their communities during the pandemic.
“Lottery winners were no different, with many undertaking numerous roles and activities to play their part.
“It has been heart-warming to see the contribution made by all of these people during such a difficult time for so many.”