Man from Oregon, diagnosed with cancer, unveiled as the lucky winner of $1.3 billion in the Powerball lottery.
Cheng "Charlie" Saephan, a 46-year-old man from Portland, Oregon, won a massive lottery prize in early April 2023, sharing the victory with his wife, Duanpen Saephan, and friend, Laiza Chao. They chose the cash option, netting themselves over $422 million after taxes.
Chao will receive 50% of the money, while the Saephans each get 25%. "I'm happy for my family," said Charlie. "They're going to have a great life." However, he also admitted to facing a personal challenge: his cancer battle. With limited time on his hands, he wondered how he would find the opportunity to spend his winnings.
The powerball jackpot typically sits at around $40 million, but the historic drawing on April 6 saw a whopping $422 million prize available. The delay in the draw lasted for more than three hours, allowing more time for the necessary pre-draw procedures to be completed. The win also marks the largest prize ever won in Oregon.
What's more, the lucky winning ticket was purchased from a Plaid Pantry convenience store in Portland. A bonus of $100,000 goes to this store for selling the ticket.
A Laos native who has lived in Portland for 30 years, Charlie bought the winning numbers using the Quick Pick option on the lottery machine. "Maybe it was God who picked it for me," he mused. Charlie shared the news of his winnings with Chao, who had initially contributed $100 towards purchasing the lottery tickets. "She was on her way to work," he recounted. "And I told her, 'You don't have to go to work now. We've won the lottery, and we've won the jackpot.'"
CNN's Amanda Musa contributed to this heartwarming story of shared success. [End of paraphrase]
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Source: edition.cnn.com
