Norfolk $10 million lottery winner vows to take better care of himself from here on

NORFOLK -- Forty-one-year-old Verizon Field Technician Floyd Harvey of Norfolk says he has no plans to retire. In fact, the single father of one said he just wants life to continue as usual, even after winning a guaranteed minimum prize of $10,000,000 in a New York Lottery game.

In an interview with lottery officials, the 14-year Verizon vet said there’s only one change he knows he’ll have to make right away as he adjusts to life as a millionaire. “I’ll have to start taking better care of myself,” he joked.

Harvey bought a $20 Win for Life Spectacular ticket and two other scratch-off tickets during a Thanksgiving Day run to Fefee’s Market on West Main St. He said he waited until he pulled into his driveway before scratching his tickets. “I knew right away I had one dud and two winners,” he said.

“I had to put the cat in the house so I put the game down and took care of that first,” he said. “I got back in the truck and realized [the prize] was a lot more than the $100 I was hoping for.”

Lottery officials say Harvey’s prizes included a guaranteed $10,000,000 on one game and another $35 prize in an instant game.

Harvey went to the lottery’s Customer Service Center in Syracuse to claim his big prize. He and is scheduled to receive the first installment in time for holiday shopping. He will get 19 annual payments of $520,000 (net $343,356) and one additional payment of $120,000 (net $79,236) for the $10,000,000 minimum prize over the next 20 years. Once that is over, he will continue to receive an annual net check totaling $343,356, for life.

As for his plans for the money, Harvey said he already has the house of his dreams and plenty of things to fill it.

“I can see sinking a few bucks into the ‘67 Mustang I’ve been working on forever,” he said. “And, I can see a nice 500-horsepower Mustang Shelby to keep it company,” he laughed. “That’s all for now.