It's always awesome to see decent people do well. Carmelo Mercado seems to fit the bill.

Now 63 years old, Carmelo is a retired New York firefighter who responded with Queens Battalion 49 who went to the World Trade Center on September 11. His extended time working in the rubble left him with damaged lungs and forced him into early retirement.

'The lung doctor at the fire department told me, you know, he was going to push me out,'  Mercado told CBS2.

'He said: 'Listen, your breathing is not good. You lost a lot of oxygen.’'

But Carmelo's story wasn't over. Earlier this morning, Carmelo Mercado was presented with a check for $3.3 million. Yep. The American hero won $5 million from a scratch-off lottery ticket. (And yes, those blood-sucking New York taxes erased $1.7 million of his winnings.)

What does he plan to do with the money?

'Well, my daughter asked me, ‘Does that mean I can get one American Girl doll?’ So I told her: ‘How about ten? We’ll get ten.’

He added: 'This year's Christmas presents will be a little bigger than last year's.'

Carmelo Mercado is also planning to buy another home. At a magical place.

'I'm really excited to buy a summer house at Disney,' he said.

'We go as a family every year, and it will be nice not to have to rent anymore.'

American Girl dolls and Disney World. This guy is a walking G-rated movie. Quick, someone find some skeletons in his closet, I'm starting to feel guilty.

Congrats, Carmelo - and thank you for your service to your community and your country!