Tucker Keeling, a resident of Bixby, Oklahoma, recently won the inaugural $250,000 PartyCasino.com World BlackJack Championship aboard the PartyPoker.com Million V cruise in the Caribbean Sea. The fortunate winner, who has served as a professional dealer in Las Vegas for years, collected as much as $113,000.
Nevertheless, despite his tremendous luck in blackjack, life has not been easy for the 38-year-old Keeling. Five years ago, he was diagnosed with ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Keeling said, "I had a serious amount of luck in the tournament. Even going into the last hand I didn't think I was going to win but I hit 20, which proved to be enough. In the semi-finals, I only won by $25 after betting all my chips and catching BlackJack. It was one hell of a ride."
A PartyCasino.com spokesperson was quoted as saying, "Tucker's story is inspirational. We are both glad and sad for him at the same time. There couldn't have been a better winner."
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ALS Patient Wins the $250,000 PartyCasino.com World BlackJack Championship