The mystery winner of the $1.3 billion Powerball prize earlier this month has been revealed — and it’s a heartwarming story.
The lucky ticket was purchased in Oregon by 46-year-old Cheng Saephan, an immigrant from Laos who’s been battling cancer for eight years.
Saephan purchased the ticket at a Plaid Pantry store in Portland for the April 6 drawing. Plaid Pantry will also receive a $100,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
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Saephan chose to take his winnings as a lump sum payout, which will equal $422 million after taxes. It will be split amongst himself (he’ll take 50%), his wife, Duanpen, and his friend, Laiza, who gave him $100 towards buying tickets.
The lucky winner told local outlet KOIN 6 that when he found out he had won, he called Laiza and told her, “You don’t have to work anymore.”
“I am grateful for the lottery and how I have been blessed,” Saephan told the outlet. “I am able to provide for my family and my health.”
Saephan, who had his most recent chemotherapy treatment just last week, said he plans to use the funds toward finding a “good doctor” to help him with the rest of his treatment.
“I am in the middle of battling cancer, so I was thinking, ‘How am I going to have time to spend all of this money?'” Saephan joked. “I might get lucky again. I’ll keep playing.”
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Saephan’s jackpot is the fourth largest in U.S. history. The largest was a California-winning ticket that garnered a $2.04 billion win in 2022.
This is, however, the largest prize ever won in Oregon, beating out the record of a Powerball win in 2005 for $340 million.