Do you know the one about the Aussie bloke who died, came back to life, and then won the lotto not once, but twice?
From Tragedy to Miracle
Back in 1998, Bill was a 37-year-old truckie living in a caravan park on the outskirts of Melbourne. His life took a sharp turn when he was injured in a car accident and given medication for his heart. The treatment backfired, and Bill suffered a massive heart attack. For 14 minutes he was clinically dead, and doctors told his family to prepare for the worst.
Somehow, against all odds, Bill pulled through. After 12 days in a coma, he woke up. Doctors called it a “medical miracle.” Bill just thought of it as a second chance at life.
A Lucky Scratchie
About a year later, life threw Bill another surprise. He bought a $5 scratchie and ended up winning a brand-new Toyota Corolla worth about $30,000. Not bad for a bloke who’d been told he might not live.
His story caught the eye of a Melbourne TV station. They thought it’d make a feel good piece for the news—so they asked Bill to re-enact the winning moment on camera.
The Moment That Went Viral
Standing at the newsagent counter with the cameras rolling, Bill scratched away at another ticket. Then lightning struck again.
“I just won $250,000,” he said, stunned. At first, the crew thought he was joking. But he wasn’t. Bill had just pulled off one of the luckiest double wins ever caught on film.
The footage shows him clutching his head in disbelief while staff cracked open champagne. He even called his fiancée to tell her they could finally buy a house. The video went worldwide—CNN, BBC, and now, thanks to social media, it’s gone viral all over again decades later.
Life After the Win
With his winnings, Bill bought a house outright and invested the rest. He settled down with his wife, Lisa, and tried to live a quiet life. But his health problems never really went away. He’s battled heart troubles, arthritis, and the loss of close family members.
Even so, Bill reckons he’s one of the luckiest blokes alive. “I had a bonus of 22 years,” he said. “Every day I get up, shuffle down the road, smell the roses, look at the sun and think about how lucky I am.”
He still buys a scratchie every week—not because he expects another win, but because he knows life’s full of surprises.
