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Forever Changed by PCH – Gerard Rivera’s Winner Story

Hi everyone!  This is Matt K. from PCH Creative.  We’ve all seen the winning moments of our fantastic SuperPrize winners on TV or maybe even on YouTube.  But what happens when the Prize Patrol leaves and the winner is left Forever Changed with this incredible windfall of serious money?  Over the next several weeks, I’ll be interviewing some of our past winners and asking them just what DID happen after the Prize Patrol van rolled away!  We’ll find out how they reacted, how their lives were transformed, and what they can do now that they couldn’t have done before.  Let’s take a look at this week’s touching profile with Gerard Rivera from 2012!

Sometimes people come from humble beginnings.  But like many of us in America, you pull yourself up from your bootstraps and make the best of the gifts you’ve been given.  Other times you’re on life’s journey and you’re suddenly dealt a bad hand.  This was the case of Philadelphia winner Gerard Rivera.

Gerard Rivera

When we surprised Gerard with his check, we couldn’t have come at a better time,” says Danielle Lam of the Prize Patrol.  “Gerard was previously employed as a health aide worker, but due to his own health issues, he had to take a leave of absence.  All he wanted to do was to help others, but doing so would have just made him more sick.”

I caught up with Gerard recently and asked him about his big win. “I just had this feeling that this was going to be it,” says Gerard.  “I had a feeling I was going to win.  My situation in life was pretty bad.  I was relying a lot on the kindness of other people to help me out.  It was a difficult time.”

Gerard won $1.25 Million through PCHLotto.  He had seen the Publishers Clearing House commercials on TV and went online to check out the sites.

I like the lotto stuff, so I just started playing,” he says.

Gerard Rivera’s wife wasn’t home when we first arrived up,” Danielle Lam remembers.  “So when she first showed up, they ran to each other and instantly embraced.  It was like out of a movie!”

Gerard Rivera Forever Changed

Since winning, Rivera has moved out of his neighborhood in Philadelphia to start a new life in Florida.

I wanted to be really smart with my money.  I didn’t go on any crazy vacations.  I started my own company and bought an apartment building.  That’s where I live, and I work on taking care of my tenants.  Things are so much better now!”

Rivera always wanted to work for himself, and now he can do it, thanks to PCH and a little luck!

I just want to say thanks to Publishers Clearing House on behalf of myself and my family for this blessing…[for the] opportunities.  To everyone that’s out there, keep trying!  [All of] the Prize Patrol is great!  Danielle Lam treated me well, and they’d do the same for you!  Just keep dreaming!  Dreams come true!”

Do you remember Gerard’s winning moment? Well you can watch it again, right here!

[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yBgh3mwITQ[/tube]

When I asked Gerard if he hopes to see the Prize Patrol again, Rivera knew just where he’d like to see them: “I’d love for them to come to my apartment building and give a big prize to one of my tenants. I hope someone one day has this blessing too!”

Hearing a story like this is so inspiring!  Good things DO happen to good people, and YOU could be next!

Matt K.
PCH Creative

P.S. I was really touched that Gerard would want his tenants to get their own big winning moment!  Let’s pretend you were already a SuperPrize winner — who would YOU want to get a big winning moment next?

 

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