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Bradenton Man Who Won $16 Million 'Had To Quit' Job

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By NEIL JOHNSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 20, 2008

The man who won a $16 million Lotto jackpot two weeks ago called in sick from work a day after the winning numbers were announced, then quit a day later.

"That was very rare for Chuck to call in," said his former boss, Rick Allard.

The next day, Charles E. Hill of Bradenton came in to the Southern Comfort Heat and Cooling shop where he'd worked for 12 years as a maintenance technician, asking Allard for advice about finding a financial adviser and attorney.

"He was shaking and could barely speak," Allard said. "He said he hated to do it because we'd been like family but he had to quit."

The jackpot, which he took as a $9 million lump sum, turned someone who as a working Joe smoked Winston cigarettes in a soft pack into a millionaire.

Hill, 56, had the lone winning ticket drawn May 11.

He was a regular at Bud's Mini Mart where be bought the winning ticket, said store owner Jay Patel, who will receive $20,000 for selling the ticket. The store is across the street from the Carlton Arms Apartments.

Hill, who is single, lives in a one-bedroom, $600-a-month apartment at Carlton Arms.

Hill normally bought a combination of computer-selected numbers and some he picked himself, spending $8 two times a week, Patel said.

He spent an extra $2 for the ticket, which added $10 million to the jackpot, turning a $6 million prize into $16 million.

Selling the winning ticket has produced mixed results for the family-owned store. Some new customers come in believing it's a lucky store. Others have stopped buying Lotto tickets, believing the store has used its supply of good fortune, Patel said.

Hill has not made a big deal of his fortune and even asked Allard not to tell anyone for a few days.

"I saw him right after he won and he didn't say much," Patel said.

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