Walmart employee called in to work last-minute on Labor Day goes home with a million-dollar surprise

There are days when we feel drained and lack the energy to show up at work. Yet, we manage to push through, putting on a smile, knowing we can’t afford to lose our daily pay. Sometimes, employers even cancel leaves at the last minute, making it even harder. This happened to a woman recently, when her manager asked her to report to work on Labor Day after her day off was canceled. Rebeca Gonzalez, an employee at a Walmart store in Los Angeles, wasn’t thrilled to work that day. However, after a long and tiring shift, she drove away a millionaire, according to a news release from the California Lottery.

Gonzalez, who had been going through a tough time, was particularly disinterested when she received a last-minute call from her manager on her day off. She had plans to spend quality time with her loved ones, including her husband, but the L.A. County Walmart needed her to report to work for unspecified reasons. “It was Labor Day, and they only needed me for three hours. I wanted to obviously be home with my family because we planned to barbecue,” Gonzalez told the California Lottery. Moreover, throughout the day, the Walmart employee had been thinking about buying a Single Double Triple Scratchers game.

She had planned to make a random purchase from a California Lottery vending machine during her break. However, amidst the sudden change in her schedule, she forgot to buy the Scratcher during work hours. “But it was so busy I totally forgot. I didn’t remember I was going to buy a Scratchers until I left for the night and passed by the machines,” Gonzalez explained. To her surprise, the Walmart employee became an instant millionaire, winning the $1 million top prize from a $10 investment. She had purchased a Single Double Triple Scratchers game from a California Lottery vending machine after her shift.

When the results were announced by the lottery officials, the L.A. resident could hardly believe she had become a millionaire overnight. What began as frustration over working on a holiday quickly turned into elation. Looking back on the experience, Gonzalez could only laugh at herself and the entire situation, realizing that it had all been worth it. “I couldn’t believe it!” she said, adding that the winnings helped her finally pay off her debt. In fact, she and her husband are now closing on a new home.

Despite her newfound fortune, Gonzalez said she’s still putting in her hours at Walmart. “I’ve only told one person at work, and it was the manager who wanted me to stay late on a holiday,” Gonzalez shared. When she broke the news, her manager was shocked. "He (literally) couldn’t believe it,” she explained. Gonzalez won by beating the 2,057,388-to-1 odds. Lottery officials announced that the supercenter would receive a $5,000 bonus for selling her the winning ticket.