BRITAIN’s youngest lottery winner has revealed her £1.9million win has
dwindled to £2,000 – but insisted she is happier than ever.
Callie Rogers was 16 when she scooped the jackpot in 2003. She said it changed
her life forever, leading her to splash out on expensive holidays, cars and
property for herself and her family.
But the mum of three, now 26, believes she was too young to bag such a huge
sum – and it left her with nothing but trouble.
Callie, who trains as a carer and lives in a modest £80,000 home, said: “It
was too much money for someone so young. Even if you say your life won’t
change, it does and often not for the better.”
Callie has described the last decade as both “terrible and amazing” after
dating a string of gold-digging boyfriends and years of hard-partying left
her nearly broke.
After winning the lottery Callie, who had gone from a £3.60-an-hour job
stacking shelves at her local Co-op to being a millionaire overnight,
splashed out on a £180,000 bungalow for herself, a £76,000 home for her mum,
shopping sprees and pricey nights out with her friends.
But she lost her job at the Co-op because her win caused too much disruption,
according to bosses. She was left feeling without a sense of purpose and
“lost”.
She recalled how she would spend her time in the pub, feeling forced to buy
drinks for new “pals” who would sell stories about her.
And when she met boyfriend Nicky Lawson, also unemployed, her life spiralled
out of control.
Speaking to Closer magazine, Callie revealed: “We were out almost every night.
I started drinking and partying more.
“I was desperate to fit in and, whenever anyone asked to borrow money, I’d
hand it over – and most of the time I never got it back.
“I paid for the majority of our nights out – I have no idea how much they
cost, but rarely less than £200.”
Callie was forced to quit her wild lifestyle when she fell pregnant in 2005
with Kian, now eight. She admitted the pressures of motherhood and growing
up quickly left her trying to kill herself.
She said: “I took paracetamol and sleeping tablets. Fortunately, my family
found me and took me to hospital.
“I tried counselling but didn’t get on with it. I felt guilty, like I
shouldn’t be unhappy when I was so rich.”
Nicky and Callie also had daughter Debony in 2007 but split when he revealed
he had cheated on Callie with her sister.
Callie, who spent up to £250,000 on her cocaine habit, finally noticed her
funds were disappearing.
But she still felt forced to carry on her millionaire lifestyle, adding:
“Suddenly, I was down to five digits. I felt I had to be living the high
life constantly, and others expected handouts. I just wanted to be normal.”
Callie continued to battle depression until 2010 when she met factory
supervisor and part-time fireman Paul Penny, 34, on a night out.
She insists this relationship, unlike her previous ones, has nothing to do
with her bank balance: “Paul had no idea who I was or that I was ever a
millionaire. I didn’t tell him – after a while, he found out from mates, but
he fell for me, not the money.”
When she became pregnant with twins in September 2011 she thought her
happiness was complete. But Blake’s twin Mason was delivered stillborn.
Despite her heartbreak, Callie now says she feels happy, stable and fulfilled
for the first time since her lottery win.
She said: “The pressure to splash out and live a glam party life has gone –
and I prefer it. My life revolves around the kids and, if they want
something expensive, they wait for birthdays and Christmas. I’m glad they’ll
grow up knowing the value of money.
“I was too young to win the lottery. It nearly broke me, but thankfully, I’m
now stronger than ever.”
The full feature appears in Closer’s Real Life Special, free with this week’s
issue of Closer, on sale now. For more details go to www.closeronline.co.uk.
Callie’s Shopping List / Where did the money go?
£550,000 – Homes for herself, her parents and grandparents
£300,000 – Clothes, make-up, hair and tattoos
£250,000 – Hols including Mexico and EuroDisney
£250,000 – Drugs and parties with friends
£190,000 – Gifts and loans to family
£188,000 – Gifts to former boyfriends
£85,000 – Cars, including a Ranger Rover and a BMW
£50,500 – Solicitors’ fees
£11,500 – Two boob jobs