9/11 firefighter wins $5 million lottery jackpot

'I said, 'Holy mackerel, that looks like $5 million. My mind went blank.'

(Associated Press)

A New York City firefighter who responded to the terror attacks on the World Trade Centre on 11 September 2001, has just hit a lottery jackpot.

Carmelo Mercado, 63, a former Queens firefighter, was rewarded with a $5m check on Thursday at the New York Lottery's offices in Manhattan.

Mr Mercado, a 27-year veteran, rushed to Ground Zero after the second twin tower collapsed. He spent two days searching for victims and retired three years later as the event took a major toll on his lungs.

“I bought one ticket and lost on it. I noticed the next ticket in the pack was number 25, my birth year backwards, so that was the next one I bought,” he said at the lottery's press conference.

"I said, 'Holy mackerel, that looks like $5 million. My mind went blank. I was in shock,” he said.

Mr Mercado is newly divorced and currently lives with his 10-year-old daughter. He plans to treat her and hopefully buy a summer house in Florida, where he and his family visits every year.

"My daughter asked me, 'Does that mean I can get an American Girl doll?' So I told her, 'How about 10?'"

After taxes, Mr Mercado will bring home $3.3 million in a lump sum payment.