She felt like a million, but didn't let on

For two weeks, crossing guard and 7-Eleven clerk Ellen Fox didn't let on about the wealth soon to be hers.

By DONG-PHUONG NGUYEN

© St. Petersburg Times,
published May 30, 2001

TAMPA -- For the past two weeks, Ellen Fox stuck to routine, spending $10 at her weekly hair appointment and steering children across the street as a school crossing guard.

The 56-year-old chatted about ordinary things with her hairdresser and waved to administrators at Adams Middle School from her crossing guard post.

There was nothing unusual about her, except that she didn't mention she had won the lottery.

Fox had the winning ticket for the May 12 Lotto drawing worth $12-million, but kept mum for two weeks. She claimed her lump sum, a single cash payment of $6,459,376.55, in Tallahassee Tuesday morning.

"Unbelievable," said Adams Middle School assistant principal Michael Hoskinson, who has waved to Fox on his way into work every morning for the past four years. "I had no idea."

Fox, who makes $8.09 an hour as a crossing guard and spends her evenings ringing up purchases at a 7-Eleven, did not tell anyone besides family and close friends until she was able to set up her finances. She continued to work while consulting a lawyer, lottery officials said. She granted a brief interview to lottery officials but declined to pose for a photo or appear at a press conference, they said. She could not be reached for comment.

The mother of two grown children told lottery officials she plans to take a trip to Europe, invest her money, set up college funds for her two grandchildren and open up a retail store.

She will also keep on working, said her hairdresser of 10 years, Regena Guimares. "She says she wouldn't have nothing else to do," Guimares said Tuesday. "She might cut back on her hours, though."

Fox was with Guimares the day she bought the winning ticket. On May 12, Fox arrived at Regena's Little Bit Country Hair and Nail Salon on Florida Avenue for her weekly shampoo, blow dry and curl.

She had time to spare before her 3:30 p.m. appointment and decided to run across the street to the Value Market for a drink and some change to pay Guimares. On a whim, she played the lottery.

Owner Sukhram Ramcharan rang up a drink, two scratch-off tickets and one Quick Pick.

On Monday morning, Fox heard the winning ticket had been sold in Tampa, so she checked the lottery's Web site. The winning numbers: 3, 6, 26, 27, 29 and 44. She didn't believe it, so she called a co-worker at 7-Eleven.

She recalled her reaction to lottery officials as "shock" and "hysteria."

Meanwhile, she continued to report to her station at North Boulevard and New Port Circle, across from Adams Middle, stopping traffic for students at nearby Forest Hills Elementary.

On May 19, a week after the win, she returned to Regena's for her usual shampoo and style. "We talked about the lottery and I told her I hoped it was one of my clients," Guimares recalled.

Fox didn't react.

A week went by and she continued to work. Last Saturday, the 26th, Fox broke the news to Guimares.

"She said she really wanted to tell me the week before, but her attorney said it would be best if she didn't mention it to anyone," Guimares said. "I was so happy for her. She is very deserving."

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright