Transgender Lotto millionaire dies 18 months after scooping £4m

Taxi driver Melissa Ede, 57, celebrating during a photocall at Willerby Manor Hotel in Hull after her £4m Scratchcard win on New Year's Day.
Taxi driver Melissa Ede, 57, has died suddenly 18 months after becoming a multimillionaire. She's pictured here celebrating during a photocall at Willerby Manor Hotel in Hull after her £4m Scratchcard win on New Year's Day 2017.

Transgender Lotto winner Melissa Ede has died 18 months after winning a £4m jackpot.

Ms Ede, a 58-year-old former taxi driver from Hull, scooped the prize back in December 2017 after she bought a £10 scratchcard.

The millionaire died suddenly on Saturday, according to reports in the Sun.

Her family are understood to be in the process of making funeral arrangements.

Taxi driver Melissa Ede, 57, celebrating during a photocall at Willerby Manor Hotel in Hull after her £4m Scratchcard win on New Year's Day.
Taxi driver Melissa Ede, 57, has died suddenly 18 months after becoming a multimillionaire. She's pictured here celebrating during a photocall at Willerby Manor Hotel in Hull after her £4m Scratchcard win on New Year's Day 2017.

Ms Ede was taken to hospital suffering chest pains on Bank Holiday Monday. Medics ran a series of tests but she was given the all clear that same day.

Speaking last week she said: "I really did think my time was up. My chest was crushing in. I thought, ‘This is it.’

"I told Rachel [her fiancee], ‘I love you so much. Always remember that."

She added: "It makes you realise how precious life is. You can be here one minute and gone the next."

Taxi driver Melissa Ede, 57, celebrating during a photocall at Willerby Manor Hotel in Hull after her £4m Scratchcard win on New Year's Day.
Taxi driver Melissa Ede, 57, has died suddenly 18 months after becoming a multimillionaire. She's pictured here celebrating during a photocall at Willerby Manor Hotel in Hull after her £4m Scratchcard win on New Year's Day 2017.
Taxi driver Melissa Ede, 57, celebrating during a photocall at Willerby Manor Hotel in Hull after her £4m Scratchcard win on New Year's Day.
Taxi driver Melissa Ede, 57, celebrating during a photocall at Willerby Manor Hotel in Hull after her £4m Scratchcard win on New Year's Day 2017.

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Tributes have been left online to the lively Lotto winner.

One said: “So sorry to hear this RIP Mel condolences to her partner and family x"

Melissa underwent a number of surgical procedures after her big win, as well as buying her fiancee a £35,000 BMW.

She was working as a taxi driver in Hull, East Yorks, in December 2017 when she won £4m on a £10 scratchcard.

She hit the headlines again after going on The Jeremy Kyle Show following a falling out with her family, which she thought was because of her transgender identity.

Melissa said her four children, aged between 19 and 39 at the time, "cut me out of their lives".

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