Draw winners look towards future

DUBAI: While some people dream of splashing an Emirates Draw win on things such as fancy clothes, expensive gadgets, and picturesque holidays, three recent winners have a different outlook. UAE residents Jacob Avis, Amirah William and Behrouz Parsaei Jam, are selfless with their winnings and helping others instead.

Jacob Avis, a widower, and father of three daughters, couldn’t believe his luck when he received the email confirming his Dhs77,777 win and initially thought it was a scam. The 53-yearold said, “I lost my wife to cancer four and a half years ago, and now I’m doing whatever I can to support my three daughters as a single parent.” Avis continued, “Words cannot express my joy, and it will surely help cover part of the university cost for my children.”

The founder of the Stray Dogs Center, Angels, in Umm Al Quwain, 53-year-old Amirah William, had a similar charitable approach. You might recognize William’s name from the viral story of her helping to rescue an abandoned husky on a balcony in Dubai recently. Amira did confirm that the Husky is heading to royal life. The generosity doesn’t stop there, as the New Zealand expat puts her winnings into her non-profit business. A move that will prolong the life and happiness of the pets she and her team so kindly rescue across the UAE.

William recalls the moment she discovered her windfall, “I applied for the draw online and I was completely shocked when I saw that I won. I previously won small prizes here and there, but I never really expected to win this Dhs77,777 amount.”

Iranian 49-year-old Behrouz Parsaei Jam has a slightly different take on his win. The father of two explains, “I was happy, but it was not what I was expecting. I was hoping that I would win the Dhs100 million grand prize!”