Armando Vidal thought it was just another regular day, and just another regular scratch-off.
The longtime San Luis Obispo local, who had been experiencing homelessness since an injury in 2008 left him unemployed, walked into Sandy’s Deli & Liquor to check his California Lottery Triple Red 777 ticket. He figured he’d snagged a $200 win. But store manager Wilson Samaan saw something different.
“What are you going to do with a million dollars?” Samaan asked.
Vidal blinked, stunned. “I was like, huh? And that’s how I found out that I’d won a million dollars.”
In a whirlwind of disbelief and joy, Samaan, who had seen Vidal frequent the store for years, offered to drive him all the way to the California Lottery office in Fresno to claim the winnings. That day in April became the start of a new chapter.
“I just can’t wait to get off the streets,” Vidal told Thrifty Beaches in a heart-tugging Instagram video, filmed shortly after his win.
Now, just three months later, he’s already making plans for the future: a permanent home, a cozy bed, and maybe the best part, a couple of dogs to share it with.
“Vidal is working to secure a place to go home to, with a bed, a couple of dogs, and he also plans to invest his winnings to keep the money coming in,” the California Lottery shared in a release.
And after the whirlwind of media attention his win sparked in April, Vidal says he plans to keep a lower profile moving forward. But we’re still cheering from afar.
Sometimes, it’s not just about the money. It’s about what it buys: safety, stability, and second chances.
And for Armando Vidal, it’s finally time to go home.
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