Ex-footballer who won £1m jackpot has quit his job to travel the world

THIS is how to be a lottery winner! Ex-footballer whose emotional reaction to £1m jackpot became online hit has quit his building job to travel the world, cruise the Caribbean and swim with dolphins with his partner

• Terry Kennedy, 29, was forced into early retirement due to a knee injury in 2016
• After scooping the life-changing win last year, Kennedy quit his job as a builder
• He has been ticking off items from his bucket list with his partner Kay Yoxall, 26

An ex-footballer whose emotional reaction to winning a £1m lottery jackpot went viral quit his building job to travel the world with his partner.

Terry Kennedy, 29, was a teammate of England star Harry Maguire at Sheffield United before being forced into early retirement due to a knee injury in 2016.

But after scooping the life-changing win last year, he quit his job as a builder and has spent 12 months ticking off items from his bucket list with his partner Kay Yoxall, 26.

Before the couple had even collected their winnings, they immediately jetted off to Tenerife and then headed to Dublin for a long weekend.

The lucky pair quit their jobs and haven’t stopped travelling since visiting some incredible destinations such as Tokyo, New Zealand, Hawaii, Turkey and Italy.

Highlights of their year travelling also include swimming with dolphins in Mexico and going on a helicopter ride in New York.

But their favourite trip so far has been a Caribbean cruise, which Kay described as ‘just beautiful.’

Terry Kennedy, 29, was a teammate of England star Harry Maguire at Sheffield United before being forced into early retirement due to a knee injury in 2016

But after scooping the life-changing win last year, he quit his job as a builder and has spent 12 months ticking off items from his bucket list with his partner Kay Yoxall, 26. Pictured in NYC

Highlights of their year travelling also include swimming with dolphins in Mexico and going on a helicopter ride in New York

She said: ‘On average, we’ve managed to go somewhere different each month and we have lots more to pack in, so we can’t wait to create some more amazing memories together.

‘Swimming with dolphins in Mexico was on our bucket list of things to do too and we’ve now ticked that amazing memory off.

‘That was magical, as was every trip we’ve taken since winning changed our lives forever.’

Despite it being a year after the couple won the lottery, Terry has said that they ‘have to pinch ourselves to remind us that this is real.’

Terry said: ‘This win is something which has absolutely changed our lives forever, including the ability it’s given us to travel the world.

‘It is always something you hope will happen to you but it is just a dream – you think it’s something that only happens to other people – not ordinary people like us!

But their favourite trip so far has been a Caribbean cruise, which Kay described as ‘just beautiful’

Terry, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, bought the winning Lotto Lucky Dip ticket in November last year, but left the ticket on the counter and had to go back and pick it up 

‘And it may be a whole year on since we won but still, every single day, we have to pinch ourselves to remind us that this is real and it really did happen to us.’

Terry, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, bought the winning Lotto Lucky Dip ticket in November last year, but left the ticket on the counter and had to go back and pick it up.

Luckily he did go back, because when he later checked the ticket he realised he had matched five numbers plus the bonus ball making him a millionaire.

He was working as a ground worker on a building site at the time and one of his colleagues videoed the moment Terry found out he had won the money.

In the viral video, you can see the disbelief and shock on Terry’s face as his work colleagues shout and celebrate with him.

Recalling the life changing phone call, Terry said: ‘Despite all the checks it isn’t until you hear on the phone that it is a £1million win that you really believe it.

Kennedy played for Sheffield United and Harrogate Town and was a teammate of Manchester United captain Harry Maguire

Despite it being a year after the couple won the lottery, Terry has said that they ‘have to pinch ourselves to remind us that this is real’

The couple are also using their winnings to renovate their four bedroom detached house in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, into their ‘dream home’

‘Making the call in front of my mates and colleagues was brilliant and I immediately took them to the pub for a celebratory pint.

‘Thinking about that call – and listening back to it today – still gives us both goosebumps – and if I am honest, brings tears to our eyes too.

‘It is a moment which will stay with me for the rest of my life.’

The couple are also using their winnings to renovate their four bedroom detached house in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, into their ‘dream home’.

The property sits on a third of an acre of land and has its own orchard, and they will be building a ‘man cave’ in the garden along with a home for their pet tortoise Travis.

Kay said: ‘We are loving just having the time to ourselves to build a dream home – just as we want it to be.

‘The winning isn’t just about the money – it is about buying you that all important time which when you are working you just do not have.

‘We are really cherishing every moment of being able to do the work ourselves – with the support of professionals, where essential of course – to get our home to be just as we want it to be.’

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