Jane Park Wins Big
Jane Park was just 17 years old when she won the lottery in the UK, and her life was set to change. Not many teenagers can pay their own way, but Jane had won a fortune.
Jane Park Wins Big
A Dream Come True
Having a fortune is the dream for many people, but Jane had won it at such a young age. She decided to purchase a ticket for no real reason, and when her numbers came in she couldn’t believe it. Jane lives in Edinburgh, UK, and she scooped a huge £1 million ($1.4 million).
A Dream Come True
The Unthinkable
Life was pretty ordinary for Jane before winning the cash, and she worked as a receptionist earning $11 per hour. She lived with her mother in an apartment, but had always dreamed of finding fame and fortune. The lottery win gave her a taste of the high life, and she enjoyed having lots of money.
The Unthinkable
Time To Spend
There was no point in having all of this money in the bank if Jane couldn’t spend it. The first thing she did was swap her job for a month-long vacation in sunny Spain. Any 17-year-old’s imagination would run wild with that they could do with that kind of cash, and Jane had big plans.
Time To Spend
Setting Herself Up
The money meant Jane could party for years, but she was sensible and decided she would buy herself a house. Then to make sure she always had company in her new home Jane bought herself a chihuahua. It wasn’t all sensible purchases for Jane though, and she did splash out on plenty of lavish items.
Setting Herself Up
Full Of Optimism
Jane was feeling good, and she felt as though she was set up for life. Bills were not going to be something she worried about, and as far as she could tell, her future looked bright. What Jane didn’t expect to think was that winning the lottery would be the worst thing ever for her.
Full Of Optimism
Expensive Purchases
As she was a young woman at the time, Jane didn’t worry too much about the future and made some wild purchases. She decided most good things come in threes, so she bought herself three brand new cars. One of which was a purple Range Rover with the interior to match her favorite soccer team.
Expensive Purchases
A New Life
Jane had the bank balance to match many rich and famous people, so she began to party like one. She would pick up the bill for her friends when they went out to exclusive clubs, and she even took them on an all-expenses-paid trip to the luxurious Maldives, with five-star service of course.
A New Life
Making A Change
Material possessions weren’t the only purchases that Jane made with her winnings, and she underwent several cosmetic surgeries. The makeover cost the teen around $70,000, and it soon seemed as though she was going to burn through this cash as quickly as she’d won it. Were things about to go off the rails for Jane?
Making A Change
Not As Great As It Looks
Jane had spent five years partying thanks to her lottery winnings, and she revealed that she had become bored with the lifestyle. She admitted that people want her lifestyle, but they don’t know what she goes through. Jane says all she has in life are material possessions and apart from that, her life is “empty.”
Not As Great As It Looks
Wishing It Away
Life is all about experiences, and Jane realized that she missed out on some of the most normal ones she was meant to have when she was a teenager. She thought that being a millionaire brought too much stress to her life and that all of the shopping she ended up doing was boring.
Wishing It Away
Life Would Be Easier
Not only was Jane getting bored with shopping, but she began longing for the days when she worked for a paycheck. Most days she says she wishes she didn’t have the money and her life would have been so much easier if she hadn’t won. Jane wished she took some advice her grandmother gave her.
Life Would Be Easier
Beware Of The Cash
Although Jane thought winning the lottery was the “best thing ever” at the time, her grandmother warned her it was dangerous. Her grandmother warned her the money was as dangerous as owning a gun, something Jane didn’t understand at the time, but now she does. The realities of being rich had hit home for Jane.
Beware Of The Cash
Drawing Attention
When Jane won her money, she thought it was amazing that people would stop and look at her. It helped to have a big purple Range Rover to turn heads but soon that attention became a burden for the young lottery winner. Her personalized vehicle no longer brought her any happiness by catching people’s attention.
Drawing Attention
No Time For The Dog
The chihuahua that Jane bought herself ended up living with her aunt because the teen didn’t have the time to look after it. Her dog, named Princess, was an accessory when she first won the money, but now she had become a burden to Jane. There were similarities between Jane’s lottery win and her pet.
No Time For The Dog
Becoming A Different Person
Jane realized after a while that the money she won hadn’t brought her happiness, but loneliness and sadness. She stopped recognizing the person staring back at her in the mirror and the money no longer felt like it brought the freedom she expected. Jane went looking for some help in dealing with her problems.
Becoming A Different Person
Finding Her Place
One thing that Jane found difficult when on her luxury vacations was the sense that she didn’t belong there. She said she much prefers cheaper breaks in Spain as the people on vacation there don’t look down at her. Jane struggled to relate to the rich people she met on exclusive vacations.
Finding Her Place
Trust Issues
Another problem that Jane discovered was that she didn’t trust anyone. Who were the people in her life that genuinely liked her, and who hung around because of the lottery win? Jane gave generously to her friends but discovered many of them were not using the money for the things they said they needed.
Trust Issues
Not Having Friends
Life became difficult for Jane because she didn’t know which of her friends, if any, she could turn to for advice. She was no longer feeling like herself, but she didn’t feel like she could go to her friends for help because she didn’t trust them. Maybe she could turn to a lover instead?
Not Having Friends
Dating Woes
Jane found that she could trust the men in her life just as much as she could trust her friends. She found that many of the men she dated were only interested in her to try and get their time in the spotlight. Finding a relationship that worked was hard work for the lottery winner.
Dating Woes
Trying Too Hard?
Jane said that her failed relationships left her feeling defensive whenever a new man comes into her life. She said that one time she tried showering a boyfriend with as many gifts as he wanted, but that didn’t seem to do the trick. Jane was unable to maintain a romantic relationship because of her money.
Trying Too Hard?
A Burden
The money that Jane won has become to feel like a huge burden. She says that she can’t go anywhere in her hometown without getting her picture taken by the paparazzi. This had led to a lack of privacy, and she wishes for the days when she could go outside without getting bothered.
A Burden
On The Wrong Side Of The Law
The bad things happening to Jane haven’t always been other people’s fault, and she has had her own troubles with the law. She was allegedly driving under the influence while going through a McDonald’s drive-thru and once punched a nightclub security employee. Jane admits it was her fault and she should have walked away.
On The Wrong Side Of The Law
In The Public Eye
Although Jane hasn’t always wanted the attention of others, her Instagram account is popular. She has over 130,000 followers, and she keeps them up to date with her latest outfits and nights out. While she doesn’t want the fame from winning the lottery, she acts like a celebrity when it comes to social media.
In The Public Eye
Unavoidable Spotlight
Jane is just trying to live her life, but like most famous people, she has a lot of haters on her social media page. She often receives harsh comments from unknown followers. Perhaps they are just jealous of her lifestyle, but other than her cash, she is no different to any young woman.
Unavoidable Spotlight
Responding In Her Own Way
Sometimes the only way to respond to internet trolls is to fight fire with fire. Jane posted a picture of herself holding a lot of cash and addressed her haters saying this photo was just for them. She won’t stop posting pictures as the people trying to bully her will not win.
Responding In Her Own Way
Threatening Messages
The messages on social media got so bad and threatening that Jane felt as though she needed to hire protection. She kept her bodyguards close after receiving several messages from people threatening to attack her. This kind of thing had been happening since she was 17 and it was having a negative impact on her.
Threatening Messages
Social Anxiety
The threats that kept coming led to Jane having social anxiety and she struggled to leave her home on her own. There was always a fear that someone somewhere would come along and attack her out of the blue. Jane no longer trusted anyone around her and became scared of everything around her.
Social Anxiety
Not All Bad
Jane has found some good from the money she won, and that comes from trying to help other people. Jane offered to pay for a young boy’s travel insurance after he got sick, but that was met with criticism. People accused Jane of doing the good deed just for the publicity, not for the boy.
Not All Bad
Who Jane Trusted
While her friends and boyfriends might have been looking out for themselves, there were some people in Jane’s life that she knew she could trust. Her family and been with her before she won her money and they would be with her when it was all gone too. They were not interested in her money.
Who Jane Trusted
Sharing Stresses
When Jane won the Lottery, she knew she was going to share a portion of her winnings with her family. The only problem was knowing how much to give them all. She didn’t want to offend them by offering too little but also didn’t want to give away too much of her personal winnings.
Sharing Stresses
Home Alone
Jane found that living on her own in a big fancy house was difficult for her. With the trust issues she had developed, she no longer felt safe living alone, so she moved back in with her mother. She sold the house and all of the contents of the house.
Home Alone
Getting Back To Normal
The stress of having so much money was getting to Jane so moving back in with her mom was going to help her have as normal a life as possible. Her anxiety levels were sky high and her mother knew coming back home was the best place for Jane. She needed a change.
Getting Back To Normal
Old Friends
Although Jane didn’t trust the new people in her life, she still had some close friends from her childhood. She knew that these friends were not interested in her money, but she found it hard to properly communicate with them after she won her fortune. They were living in different worlds.
Old Friends
Feeling Like A 40 Year Old
Jane said that compared to her friends she “feels like a 40-year-old.” Her friends are all struggling for money, but that is not an issue that Jane faces so they can have trouble relating to each other’s problems. Although her friends from before the money are still in her life, the relationship has changed slightly.
Feeling Like A 40 Year Old
Throw It Away?
Some people argue that if Jane is so unhappy with her money, then she should just give it away. When asked about giving it away Jane says she won’t. Even though she might be unhappy with it at the moment, she has her whole life in front of her, and it could be useful.
Throw It Away?
Filing A Lawsuit
After winning the money at such a young age, Jane has decided to file a lawsuit against the lottery company who gave her the money. Jane believes the money ruined her life and all of the negative things happening to her are because of it. She wants to hold the lottery company accountable.
Filing A Lawsuit
Too Much Too Young
Jane believes she was too young and that people should be 18 years old before playing. She wants to change the law in the UK to make sure that young people like her are not affected in such a negative way. The lottery company stated that they offered Jane “ongoing support” since she first won.
Too Much Too Young
Keeping A Low Profile
Now Jane is much older and wiser. She said she is trying to be more “sensible” with the things that she buys and wants people to look at her and see something positive. Jane has dialed down her extravagant purchases, but still enjoys the benefits that being a millionaire brings.
Keeping A Low Profile
Parting Words
The youngest ever lottery winner has some advice. She believes young winners should not go public with their winnings and listen to their families. Finally, Jane adds, “You have to invest it wisely,” as she talks from experience. Jane believes that winning the lottery ruined her life, but she’s now making the most of it.
Parting Words
