Bernadetta Azucena had recently resigned as a secretary, leaving her mother worried about her daughter's future without a job. On Saturday night, she received life-changing news of a Dh20 million win in the latest Big Ticket draw.
The Filipina, who lives in Ajman, is part of a group that regularly buys tickets under a different member's name each time.
“This is God's perfect timing,” Ms Azucena told her mother after learning about the jackpot win.
The 42-year-old Filipina, who is currently in the Philippines after flying home for surgery on September 30, said her first priority is to become debt-free.
“We have loans to pay off. I want to pay the mortgage on our house here in the Philippines, which is still nine years away from completion. We also have a car loan in the UAE,” she told The National.
Ms Azucena and her husband, Noriel Azucena, 44, also plan to secure the future of their 15-year-old daughter, who is in Grade 10.
“We will definitely invest towards our daughter's future,” she said. “We haven't told her about the win yet. The news has been shared only with my mother for now. I am actually still confused, and it's unbelievable. Of course, we were praying and hoping, but it was unexpected.”
For her mother, however, the win has brought relief. “My mother is very happy, and now she doesn't have to worry much about me,” she added.
Ms Azucena is the eldest of three siblings. She and her two brothers were raised by their mother, who was a single parent and worked to support the family and put her children through school.
After graduating, Ms Azucena worked at a bank for eight years. But after her marriage to Noriel, who was already working in the UAE, he encouraged her to move there to find work. She had been working in the UAE since 2016, most recently as a secretary, before her contract ended.
Missed call
Ms Azucena was asleep in the Philippines when her husband received confirmation of their win. He woke her at about 1am in the Philippines and told her to prepare herself for an important conversation.
“He told me to sit down and breathe, and then he told me that we had won,” Ms Azucena recalled. “I honestly thought I was still dreaming. I just couldn't believe it.”
The couple had been participating in Big Ticket since 2017 as part of a group of friends. "Not everyone contributed the same amount," Mr Azucena said. "We did as much as we could, but we are all very thankful. It is a life-changing amount for all of us.” He added that he didn't get any sleep last night.
Winning ticket in Bernadetta's name
The group has a system in which members take turns choosing tickets under their own name. This time, the winning ticket was the one selected under her name.
“We usually purchase during the promotions, and everyone in the group chooses a ticket under their name. This time, I got lucky, and the winning ticket was the one selected under mine,” she said.
The win comes at an emotionally significant moment. Ms Azucena had travelled back to the Philippines after she twisted a bone in her right arm in a roadside accident, making it difficult for her to work and write. Her husband said the couple had decided she should return home for treatment because there was nobody in the UAE who could take care of her. “She was also missing our daughter,” he said.
The couple had initially planned for her to undergo hand surgery after returning home, but the jackpot win has changed their immediate plans. “She will be returning soon, and we postponed the surgery,” Mr Azucena said.
They now have plans for their family's future, including paying off their debts and investing for their daughter's education and long-term security. Despite the Dh20 million windfall, the Azucenas have no plans to stop participating in Big Ticket.
