In 2019, Frances Connolly, 55, won the EuroMillions. The former social worker and teacher from Northern Ireland amassed a wealth of £115 million (about $145 million).
The first thing they did was tell their friends and relatives about their good fortune. In reality, she had a list prepared in advance just in case she won, and she has believed in it ever since.
Yet it wasn’t relatives who benefited the most. Connolly used the funds to establish two philanthropic charities. One was called Kathleen Graham after her late mother. The foundation’s present headquarters are in Northern Ireland. The PFC Trust, on the other hand, helps local caregivers, the elderly, and refugees in her area.
She estimates that she has given away more than half of her entire profits at that time. She even had to conceal it from her spouse.
Connolly is no stranger to community service. Money, as they say, does not alter you; it merely magnifies who you are. As a kid, Connolly participated in St. John Ambulance. She also worked on an AIDS helpline while studying in Belfast.
She is still active in their community, particularly with the jobless, refugees, caregivers, and elderly. She also gave the elders iPads so they could communicate with their relatives on a daily basis.
Connolly admits that helping others becomes addictive. When questioned by local news stations about whether she was glad to give away so much money, she simply answered, “Why wouldn’t one?” That’s something she has done her whole life.
She also said that if she had repaid all of the money she had given away throughout the years, she would have been a billionaire. In addition, she spent £5,000 on clothing and toiletries for Ukrainian migrants.
They didn’t, though, forget about themselves. The couple’s largest purchase to date has been a six-bedroom home in County Durham with seven acres of land. Mr. Connolly also drives a used Aston Martin.
She disapproved of living a lavish lifestyle. She mentioned seeing someone spend £25,000 on a bottle of champagne on a TV program. She believed the money may have been better spent by helping others.
The pair continues to live their usual lives. Mr. Connolly continues to oversee their plastics company, while she focuses on the organizations she founded. Yet, despite having spent so much time assisting others, she has no regrets.
