READ MORE- Offaly woman scoops New York lottery
The luck of the Irish really came through for an Irish-born waitress who scooped a $21.5 million jackpot in the New York State Lottery on January 5, and claimed her prize on Thursday at a press conference on Long Island.
Patricia Daily Eisel, 40, a mother of three who lives in Long Beach, Long Island and works as a waitress, matched all six numbers to win the prize, and said she “froze” when she realized she had the golden ticket.
"When I checked my numbers I just started shaking," said Eisel. "I was doing my laundry at the time and decided to check the results from the night before.
The waitress had been due to fly home on vacation to Ireland but became stranded in New York when the blizzard hit.
“If I got out I wouldn’t have bought the ticket, “she said during a press conference.
“I wouldn’t have been home. It’s karma,” the mother added.
Eisel played a combination of six numbers that included her own, her sons and her sister’s birthdays: : 4 – 6 – 11 – 18 – 20 – 33.
She was doing her laundry when she decided to check her lottery numbers and admits she got the shock of her life.
“My heart was pumping so fast, that I didn’t know what to think. Then I called my friend and said I think I hit the lotto you need to call me back," Eisel said at Thursdays press conference.
After she called her friend, she left her clothes at the laundry mat before she went to pick up her three young children. A few hours later she remembered to pick her laundry.
“They’re laundry didn’t get folded, it just got thrown in the bag,” she told reporters.
Eisel moved to the U.S. from Ireland in 1995, and settled in Long Beach six years later. She says her first order of business after depositing her check of $7,907,313 – a lump sum she received after taxes – will be a trip to Ireland to see her mother, who still doesn’t know about her daughter’s newly-minted millionaire status.
“First I am going to see my Ma and then I am going to come back and buy a house for my kids. A home, Christmas presents and a dog”
Eisel’s brother Brian Daily flew to New York from Ireland to be with his sister after she won. "I am delighted for her," Daily said. "Life is going to get better for her."
The Irishwoman claimed her prize yesterday at the New York State Lottery's Customer Service Center in Garden City.
“She’s had to struggle monthly to support her children,” her attorney Dorothy Going told the media.
“So this is just a God send.”
“She has no money,” Going added. “She waitresses and babysits to feed her kids.”
The Long Beach resident told reporters that she plans on becoming a full-time mom but she will miss her job the Saloon Bar in Long Beach, where her customers and boss are like family.
“I’m going to be a full-time mom, but I don’t want my customers to think I left because I done this,” she said .“There’s enough people at the bar that need the shifts, too. I just want to do it to be close to family. Just to be there and see them.”
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Advocate | Feb 14, 2011, 10:21 PM EST
While I hope she does will with it, I think it's criminal that she get 7million out of 21 million... Why should the governemnt get the vast majority? ...and they'll just waste it all and their budget will still be in the red. If you & I operated our checkbook as the government does, we be in prison! Blessings to her.
eirebegorra | Jan 29, 2011, 07:17 PM EST
congrats, can't believe you did'nt fold the laundry
StevieWeavie | Jan 29, 2011, 06:06 PM EST
I think this is AWESOME. God Bless her and her family. It is great to see someone win that really needs the money. I don't know what kind of person she is but I hope that she takes care of her immediate family, her children and their education are set, and pay a little forward.
acmelvin | Jan 29, 2011, 05:04 PM EST
Good luck Patricia, I suggest you get together with a very good financial planner when you get back home from your trip to Ireland.
mamaginnty | Jan 29, 2011, 02:06 PM EST
Good luck to her, but not fair to tax so much.
jacersagain | Jan 29, 2011, 09:51 AM EST
Say c’mere here Patricia – can you giz uz in Ireland a permanent loan please? $20.50m will do nicely, thank you. You can keep the rest.
jimmybb | Jan 28, 2011, 06:58 PM EST
well done best of luck delighted for this lady
cillowen | Jan 28, 2011, 05:13 PM EST
Lucky lady - hope she's wise with it.
colleenp | Jan 28, 2011, 04:43 PM EST
Wonderful for her and her children!!!! Too bad NYS took so much of it in taxes!
greensod | Jan 28, 2011, 03:15 PM EST
This is a great story,good luck to her,and please do not let the Irish Government get their hands on any of it.
bfahey7 | Jan 28, 2011, 02:57 PM EST
Great story! There should be no taxes for winners. They supported the lotto over the years with their losses.
S7McCabe | Jan 28, 2011, 02:13 PM EST
I love to see it when people who NEED the money win it all. This didn't have anything to do with Karma, it is a GIANT blessing because she is in need and wants to stay home and raise her children. Like John G. Hogan said, protect your blessing. You are going to acquire so many "Cousins in need," than you ever thought. LOL First, thank God, second, protect your children, and like RickBarrett said, "Have fun." God bless you and your family.
John G. Hogan | Jan 28, 2011, 12:08 PM EST
God blessed you with some luck so now protect your good fortune............because we don't want to read about you being broke a few years from now.
Blarneyrock | Jan 28, 2011, 11:56 AM EST
Does this lucky young lady want to buy a bar???
RickBarrett | Jan 28, 2011, 11:54 AM EST
If you keep your head and your values in tact, you are sure to have a great life! Please don't let this destroy you or your kids! Have fun!!!!
castlesampson | Jan 28, 2011, 11:52 AM EST
Good luck to her and her family
mcshelly | Jan 28, 2011, 11:34 AM EST
My husband was a Daily, too; his grandfather was from Kanturk, County Cork.
Searlit | Jan 28, 2011, 11:30 AM EST
Great news! I hope she's gets in touch with someone who knows how to help her protect what she won by putting into trust funds etc.
joanmoody | Jan 28, 2011, 11:01 AM EST
Good luck to you
bridiegirl | Jan 28, 2011, 10:23 AM EST
I think this is wonderful. Good for her
Dandyglow | Jan 28, 2011, 10:17 AM EST
If it couldn't be me, I cannot imagine a more derserving person to win. "I will buy a home, not a house..." This woman has it right!
Bushothehill | Jan 28, 2011, 10:15 AM EST
Great going Patricia. No husband mentioned, I wonder, I'm available.
borefield | Jan 28, 2011, 10:04 AM EST
Good Luck to her, glad a hardworking person won.
Buffalobrave | Jan 28, 2011, 10:02 AM EST
God bless you Patricia, ( looks as if he already has! ) You sound like someone who needed this win. Stay the person you are, and enjoy your life with your children.
NyackGal | Jan 28, 2011, 09:48 AM EST
Good luck,like death,strikes when you least expect it!Glad someone who works hard won!
eithnebaker | Jan 28, 2011, 06:52 AM EST
Well thats great news good luck to you ..