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Subscribe to RSSOne set of winners, from Missouri, has already come forward. But mystery still surrounds the person who bought the winning ticket in Arizona. NBC's Kerry Sanders reports.
A six-year-old girl may get the pony she has dreamed of owning, thanks to the record Powerball jackpot her family just won.
The Hill family of Dearborn, Mo., who won half of the jackpot worth $587.5 million, appeared at a press conference on Friday with six-year-old Jaiden, who was adopted from China, clutching a stuffed horse as her parents were handed an oversized check made out for their share: $293,750,000.
"We’re still stunned by what’s happened. It's surreal and people keep asking us, 'What are you going to buy with it?' I just want to go home and be back to normal," Cindy Hill, 51, said at the press conference in which she, her husband Mark, their three adult sons and daughter Jaiden were introduced to the nation.
Since winning, the couple has considered adopting again, according to the lottery. Mark has spoken of getting a red Camaro; they also would like to take Jaiden to the beach, since she's never been to one. And they plan to start college funds for their grandchildren and nieces and nephews, as well as set up a scholarship fund at the local high school in Mark's father's name.
They are also looking forward to not working and traveling together as a family using their winnings, Hill added.
As for the pony, it will be coming -- but later.
"The pony’s not going to be for a while," Cindy said Friday. "I think we’re going to just stick with what we have planned, and maybe after the first year, go on a big vacation.”
Cindy Hill, the matriarch of the Missouri family who half the record $580 million Powerball jackpot, and her children talk about their new life as millionaires.
After hearing on Thursday morning that one of the winning tickets was sold in Missouri -- the other was sold in Arizona -- Cindy dropped her Jaiden off at school, went to a convenience store for a winning numbers report, and checked her tickets in her car.
"I didn't have my glasses, and I was thinking, is that the right number? Is that the right number?" Cindy said.
Upon seeing that one of the five tickets she bought had the winning combination, Cindy said she headed straight to her mother-in-law's house and asked her to double-check the ticket. Husband Mark, 52, joined her there to see for himself.
With the odds of any single ticket winning the jackpot at 1 in 175 million, the Hills said they hardly gave a thought to winning. They spent $10 on tickets Wednesday evening and didn't check them again until Cindy saw they had won Thursday morning.
Cindy was an office manager until she was laid off in 2010; Mark works as a mechanic for Hillshire Brands, according to the Missouri Lottery.
They don't play the lottery often, and don't have any plans to move from Dearborn, a Kansas City suburb.
The couple traveled to Jefferson City, Mo., to meet with lottery officials after discovering they had won. When packing for the trip, Mark, still in shock over the magnitude of their win, said he stopped to buy toothpaste for his travel bag, and said, "I found myself in the store still looking at the prices."
"Old habits are hard to break," he said, adding, "We don't have the money yet!"
Dave Kaup / Reuters
Cindy Hill holds the microphone to six-year old daughter Jaiden, held by husband Mark as sons Jason and Cody, right, look on during a news conference on Friday.
David Troutman, a former high school classmate of the winning couple, said on TODAY that they first posted the news on Facebook.
"I was on Facebook and I saw that his wife had posted, ‘Thank you God, we won the lottery.’ Of course everybody in town, all his friends, gave all thumbs up. It couldn’t have happened to a better guy,’’ Troutman said.
The Hills are high school sweethearts. In the tiny town of Dearborn -- population, 496 -- their identity didn't stay secret for long.
“Word spread that he won so fast,’’ Troutman said. “I heard that it was a winner from Dearborn, and by the time I walked in the door my mom was on the phone, and she said, ‘He won. It was him.’ Who knows what the impact will be on Dearborn.’’
Jason, one of Cindy and Mark's sons, said Friday, "I hope we stay grounded. I hope we stay the same great people we were yesterday and the day before."
Dozens of others become instant millionaires too
Dearborn is about 35 miles north of Kansas City, the home of the Royals baseball team. While some speculated that the winning numbers -- 5, 23, 16, 22, 29 and Powerball 6 -- were based on Kansas City Royal greats' jersey numbers, the Hills said on Friday that they had done the computerized random quick-pick.
All but five states -- Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, North Dakota and Ohio -- require the lottery to release the winning names to anyone who asks, according to the Powerball site.
No one has come forward yet to claim the winning ticket in Arizona, but on Thursday, a mystery man showed up at a gas station in Upper Marlboro, Md., claiming to hold the big winner.
Surveillance video showed a man in a yellow construction suit slowly amble up to the counter, where he pulled out some lottery tickets. After confirming that the numbers on one of the tickets matched, he can be seen in the video repeatedly pumping his fists. It’s unclear what the man was doing in Maryland with a ticket ostensibly from Arizona.
NBC's Kerry Sanders reports from Dearborn, Mo., where the town is celebrating one family's luck of winning half the record Powerball jackpot. A family friend of the couple, expected to be named by lottery officials Friday, tells TODAY's Savannah Guthrie "it couldn't have happened to a better guy."
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I wish them luck, more often than not that much $$$ leads to trouble, but I hope they have fun!
does missouri force the winners to be public? id NEVER go public with this sort of thing by choice.
Yes, Missouri does require disclosure. I agree with you, for the sake and safety of the winners, they should be allowed anonymity.
Kansas, Maryland, Delaware, Michigan, North Dakota and Ohio are the only states that allow lottery winners to remain anonymous. In all other states, it is made as a matter of public record which anyone can access. Congratulations to these folks. I hope they enjoy and take care of the $$ wisely.
heh heh - congratulations to their kids.......
Diversify!
Don't call me Jealous, but I at 1st was HAPPY for them, then I thought..."How Stupid!!" You all know what I'm talking about... Yup: "Hey everyone...I just won the $587 million dollar Lottery!" posting it on Face Book! Jeeeze!
Yup, we'll see them on TLCs, "Broke Lotto Millionaires" in a few years!
what i got out of reading this article...i wan'a be adopted...by them...
The states that force disclosure of big lottery winner's identities do so stupidly, and with no though to the possible economic effects.
Example-If I were forced to disclose my ID under said conditions I would not only skip the state (now having the financial means to do so) with my money and purchasing/investment potential, I would probably skip the country, for my own safety and privacy.
That's a LOT of money. About $140 million after taxes with the cash payout, the only smart way to go (put $100 million in investment funds at a very conservative 5% return and say hello to a $5 million annual salary, normally taxed at 15% because it's investment income only, not payroll income..but that's going to change soon).
Hopefully they have already or plan on hiring a team of lawyers, accountants, and financial advisers. They are going to need them all. With this size of a jackpot, there will be people from all over the world calling for them with both legitimate pleas as well as sinister intentions. I would actually be fearful of my family's safety from kidnapping and ransom. Never underestimate the desperation of people in this day of age.
The best bet would be to remain anonymous and get an exit strategy plan together prior to turning the ticket in. Plan on moving immediately and don't tell anyone where you are going or why...and yes, tell your boss to take the job and shove it. Start an LLC and put a good portion of the money under that so as to limit liability should someone try and sue you. That's what the wealthy, including celebrities, do. Not only does it free up your liability, it allows you to purchase luxuries like vacation homes and even private jets and yachts that aren't immediately linked to you.
In any event, their lives are forever changed. Hopefully the family and their friends will still remain intact, but often large sums of money like this wind up separating families and "friends" forever. As the relative of someone who "only" won a $7 million jackpot many years ago, money can be a curse on life as much as it can be a blessing. The old saying goes: be careful what you wish for.
If the states didn't require their names to be published, there would be people here complaining it's just a scam and no one actually wins, the states just keep it all.
Glad to see the money is going to someone who is not already rich. I hope that the couple identified and their family enjoy the money and are careful. Good luck to them, and please do not let it ruin what seems to be a good relationship.
"...by the time I walked in the door my mom was on the phone..."
I'll bet they've forgotten that I put air in their left rear tire in March, '87. I want my cut.
Most people never get the kind of incredible luck that little girl has now gotten twice. Congratulations, Hills. Live wisely.
starbuck--The lottery does not publicize the winners to avoid a question about legitimacy, they do it as a marketing ploy. "Hey! Look at these people who just won all this money!! They are just like you!! So go out and buy lottery tickets so you can be just like them!!" Just more crass advertizing, like the giant check.
Now if he was smart the next stop world be a lawyer to change there names and get those files sealed.. then move. and last but not least a lawyer you trust to set up wills, trusts and divorce agreements before it happens.
I'm glad that they were not the usual dirtbags or people who will die of old age next week.
I live less than 20 miles from Dearborn, MO, and my son used to work at that exact Trex Mart. He knows the winners.
Now, if I can just get them to invest in this land idea I have..... ;)
Not that far from Kansas City, I'd take a few days off and go find a couple of GOOD REPUTABLE lawyers, (knowing that's gonna be hard to do.) Check with the nearest state bar association, in THEIR state. With all the crooks we have leading this country down the road, take care of themselves and their family BEFORE going public.
As to the second comment, about somebody in Maryland claiming the ticket from Arizona, glad the author put it the way they did, as if it is questionable. Remember a year or so ago, when that goober from far away, claimed the Iowa ticket, and even went so far as to try and browbeat that state's lottery authority into giving the winnings to him? There are an awful ot of crooks out there, and they are not always obvious.
JHawke,
Don't forget not only with their 10% capital gain you suggest they get be taxed at a soon to go up rate, their money will be taxed at over 40% this year.
That's something liberals forgot about when they complained about Romney's 14% tax rate....every penny was already taxed at the marginal rate. He paid 14% on his capital gains.
Congrats to them.. BUT, seriously how stupid on their part for coming forward! They should be behind closed doors consulting legal advise and getting a plan. I think the "lotto curse" may have spun it's nasty web again! Have fun spending!!
BobU2, Romney's capital gains were never taxed a marginal rate. He's making money just by breathing -- why shouldn't that be taxed higher?
It's the law in Missouri that the names be made public. This is a crock because now their lives will be hell trying to avoid all the leeches.
This is awesome.. finally a family that wins a big chunk, no office to divide it out among 20 people where lawsuits start flying, no businesses that are doing things shady, and not taking a good jackpot and dividing it between 10 winners.. Although taking a lump sum and paying the taxes will take about 70% of the total, they will be left with close to 100 million in cash, and can do some really wonderful things with it. That is the kind of scratch that you would have to work hard to spend away..
The initial winnings are taxed the same as income from a job, so they will get hit with the max 35% fed, plus whatever the state, city, and local taxes are. I don't think they would have to pay fica, but that maxes out anyway, so it would be irrelevant on this scale. The lump sum usually takes about 40% of the total. My brother brought up a really good point a few years ago when talking about a big win like this: He said he would take the 30 year payouts. I asked why, when he is a saavy businessman and smart enough to find ways to invest and get good, safe returns. His answer got me to thinking.. What do you do with the first check? It isn't like you can just cash it. You could go to your local bank and deposit it with the intent of spreading it around through different banks and financial institutions, but that will take time, and the question is, in the few days it takes, do you really trust your local bank with that much money? The bank owner could transfer the funds to an offshore account and be on a jet to a country without extradition an hour later. Most banks don't ever deal with that kind of money.. Even a company that does 250 million a year in sales will usually only have 10 or 15 million in the bank at any given time, and is usually into the bank for loans of 10-50 million anyway, so it isn't like that money is actually there.. but a big check getting deposited like this from a lottery bank would be a temptation.. The government will insure that the bank will not screw you over to the tune of $250k now.. but what happens when the money disappears to the tune of 10 or 50 million? The sad thing is, it does happen and could to you. Would you trust your bank?
So you decide to go with monthly installments.. So you get about 804,000 per month for 30 years.. you pay taxes each year as income, and in the end you aren't doing all that bad. Sure, if you took the lump sum and put almost 100 million in investments and somehow got 5% (which wouldn't happen any more.. that is a thing of the past, you MIGHT get 3% if your investment team was good), you could live on the 5 million a year you get, but it isn't guaranteed.. the best you can get guaranteed might be 1%, and after 30 years, the question is will you end up making the same amount of money? With the capital gains going up, the top tax bracket going up, and the death tax dropping back to 2 million, any way you go you are going to lose another half of it trying to pass it on to your kids.. By the time your kids get it, that $289 million will be about $45 million, plus whatever you can earn on investing it.. if you don't spend a penny.
Winning that much money is incredibly complicated, but it sounds like these folks have thought about it and have some ideas on what to do.. taking a vacation a year later is a good plan, it will take that long to get things sorted out and find safe ways to store that money and make some income off of it.. Personally I would have fun just figuring out how to take care of the money..
Congrat's to the Hill family, I guess Dearborn has shrunk in the past few years because I can remember back in the 50's thru '61 our hs used to play them in basketball, not sure if they had a football team. Dearborn, even then wasn't large, but think it was larger. It is sort of amazing the town hasn't grown with all the KC area has to offer, and the nearby town of Smithville.
As for the man from Maryland claiming to be the other winner, guess it could be possible. He might have gone through AZ and bought some lottery tickets.
Does anybody notice that the winner, Mr. Hill, looks just like Hank Hill?
I can hear the moochers 'a gathering..
Good luck to them. Looks like a nice family. But that mandatory winner disclosure thing is B.S. Sadly,they are going to get a lot of headaches from this. I hope they handle it well. That's why if I even had a choice weather I'd like to win a huge jackpot like that or something "smaller" like a million or two, I'd take the smaller. Just enough to stay comfortable. Stay in the same house, keep the same friends, drink the same beer and retire if I wanted to and be able to pay my bills without it hurting too much. And there would probably be a lot less publicity. Nobody usually remembers the "small" jackpot winners.
Let's hope the winners aren't like Mitt Romney -- otherwise, all their money will go offshore and greed will turn them into bottom-feeding lowlifes.
Best wishes to the whole family -- may they truly enjoy the ride!!
I hope they get a good financial planner and are very careful with the winnings so it will last for as many years and they have family living.
I also hope every begger in their area leaves them alone.
Congrats.
DMorgan, why not do some research on what Mitt Romney has done with both his personal wealth and then Bain's capital money.
Of the 350 companies Bain invested in, 80% increased revenue. The growth in these companies have resulted in a net gain (NET GAIN, meaning of the companies that closed down and those that didn't) there were over 3 million jobs created due to intervention by Bain Capital. But don't let those things get in your way, just tell us all how much you hate Mitt Romney.
And, once Romney had left Bain, each job or employment he has had he has had no salary from that position.
So, who here really is the leach?
They look like people that truly deserve it. Small town people raised kids, did a nice thing and adopted. Seem good hearted. Hope thats the case. Either way the real winner is the little girl - lucky enough to get adopted then have those new parents hit the lottery....shes a double time winner
Yes, cp... She is a lucky kid! Good karma or something, and so nice for that family.
I'd like a pony too.
unfuchingbelievable!
Bluelake
I know it's for advertising and you know it's for advertising. I was responding to the person questioning why it is published, he would be the one to say it's a scam.
Not to be argumentative here, but they actually could have remained anonymous.
Lottery winners do it all the time. It's true that the states are required to publish the names of the winner, but it doesn't have to be an actual person's name as they could have had an attorney claim it under the name of something like 'XYZ Trust;' which the state then publishes.
Unfortunately for them, their names and faces are now in the news for claiming a part of the largest jackpot in history, and will be bombarded by everyone on planet earth about charitable donations and handouts.
**Just read the Missouri lottery website on it. I'm not 100% about being able to claim as a trust (though I know you can in other states, and it doesn't say anything against it on their site), but they definitely didn't have to do a press conference.
never in my life did a big fat @!$%#ing moose of a woman look soooo sexy....
With great power comes great responsibility... They can do a lot of good and honor God through their winning, in addition to having a very comfortable life...but a fool and their money are soon parted...if they are smart about their choices and use this power to bless others, they'll enjoy the benefits of this for generations to come...
With all that money, there is another couple for all of you out there to hate. Their in the 2%
gsehongva, you must think you'll never get old and die Death also comes to the young too, no one is immune to death although some may think they are.
congrats on the fams..I recieved a txt msg begin ov April sayn that I was 1 ov the 10 ppl that will recieve a donation ov 1.5mil frm the Hills & then get an email frm a John Scholer Investments saying I had2 open an Bank acc (in Canada) & get a hold ov Dr Steve Walter of City National Bank PLC Canada & dep $1000 so im like wtf, so if i do make a dep it'll b 2 a Arian Wickham (Accountant), so my point is that im wondering if the Hills Family know about all ov this because clearly they dont say anything about donating 2 (10) ppl around the world but donations 2 ther hm twn (really good) so if this is all BS with these guys S.W,J.S & A.W I already have the authorities here (in Australia) lookn in2 it & if use r ligit then I apologise & if use r not then I hope use get caught like I say * what comes around goes around* & it hit's use hard 10x..God bless 2 the Hills Family.
Congrats to them. Stay normal, sane and out of sight!
Too late for that. Why would they ever tell a 6 year old and then expose her to the public. Stupid.
Its because they do expose the child to publicity and to the press and photographers that tells me that this "Family" May not be a family in a few years and will probably be famous for blowing a lottery in a rather short time maybe. My opinions of course but a person who was serious about keeping this money would limit exposure to the press, this means having only one person go down to Jefferson City to collect the check not the whole family. They did not have to do all those interviews infact they don't have to do a single one and they do not have to pose for photos except the one where they collect the money. That should had been the one and only time the press and public saw them. They also could have hired a lawyer who would had taken all questions while they remained totally silent. Its clear, at least in my opinion, that they were out for publicity.
And all of this is my opinion only
I see green all over this page and it ain't the color of money!
Wow..that was a fast claim. Hope they did get legal and financial advice.
If they did, they've already gotten bad advice. This should have been claimed under a trust so they wouldn't have their faces and names public.
If they had legal advice nobody would know their names and the prize would have been claimed by a bank in the name of a trust their lawyer set up. Too late for that.
BINGO ! ! ! too late!
Even though I'll never win, this is part of my plan for sure! I would have my "team" handle all of this for me. It's so stupid to do this all yourself.
AMEN to that! they have no idea how many "friends" and "family" they are fixing to meet that they didn't know they had. They have also put their children in dire danger. They will be targets for kidnapping and the family will get sued repeatedly. They need to hire a law firm and a PR rep because they are not going to ever have peace again if they don't. They need to sell their home and move to parts unknown to the general public. They should have hired a lawfirm and claimed this money anonomously. My brother won an Extreme Home Makeover Home and life has been hell ever sense, especially for their child.
They couldn't claim the money anonomously. Only a few states allow that, and Missouri is not one of them.
The thing is, you can claim it anonymously, even in those states. No one says you have to have a press conference with flashing lights and cameras in front of an audience.
The law simply states anyone who asks for the name of the winner can get it. But the winners don't have to announce they won with all the fanfare and giant check ceremony.
Read the back of your ticket... Illinois: "The holder of this ticket agrees to participate in interviews with Lottery public relations personnel and news media and grants permission to use his/her likeness in Lottery advertising".
If I won I'd take the money and do the dance but I think that agreement is crap.
Maybe they wanted to enjoy the moment with cameras and fanfare? Maybe that's how they wanted to celebrate it??
Not everyone is paranoid and runs around afraid 24/7...everyone is different with a different perspective on life. If this is how they want to enjoy their good fortune, let them. If you want to enjoy yours with a big dose of bitterness and paranoia, then that may be your choice some day.
Legal advice would not allow them to skirt around the issue of the state law requiring them to come public.
I wouldn't want to go public. Too many nutz out there.
Damien I totally forgot about that... Totally agree... The Attorney would do all the interviews, and ONE family member would be present but would not answer questions except to say "Any questions, as my attorney!" and would be there for the minimum time needed then whoosh out the door they go.
maybe they want to go public and will do things like start a business and/or charity in dearborn or elsewhere to help out poor people? lord knows those areas up north, detroit etc need it...
Best of luck to them. Hope they stay humble. Hope they enjoy life and remember to give to those that truely are in need. If they do that, their riches will last them the rest of their days.
Also... disconnect every phone they have and get new numbers, so-called friends and estranged family members are going to be coming out of the woodwork now.
Sounds like they are good people, having adopted a young child at their age (not sure how old they are, though). Happy for them! =)
dumb hicks....broke in five yrs...any bets?
Sure, you're on.
PS you sound kinda jealous...
And they are dumb hicks why, because you didn't win? What a pathetic jerk you are!
How rude! Why would you wish these people heartache? They lucked out, they hit one in a couple of hundred million odds. Wish them happiness!
You probably won't find any "dumb hicks" from Dearborn! At least their last name isn't Arab! Could possibly have been a windfall for the terrorists!!??
It sounds like a big case of sour apples. Hopefully they will do these things in this order: 1. retain a lawyer (if you can find an honest one), 2. hire an honest money advisor, 3. change their phone number(s), 4. have all their mail sent to their lawyer or financial advisor, 5. give to others who have less, (with out trying to take credit for it). 6. DO NOT BUY YOUR KIDS OR GRANDKIDS WHATEVER THEY ASK FOR. 7. Establish limits with your heirs. 8. If you set up trust funds, make sure that all the i(s) are dotted and the t(s) crossed, in other words, make sure that they can't waste what you give them.
elaine i agree with all of you items but you might want to move the he phone numbers up to 1. that way you start with fresh numbers when dealing with the lawyer and the financial advisor
meanman - racist.
If anyone is a dumb hick, its you. A normal person would not degrade another, let alone someone they don't have a clue is all about. They sound like a hard working family that got a break and anyone that can't say something nice should keep their mouth shut
@ B.ALLEN -- please actually READ the article and study US geography ........ MO is not the same as MI.
your name says it all.piss off
I personally am about as philanthropic as The Grinch who stole Christmas, and would have much preferred I win than these folks, but this is the kind of people i don't mind seeing win. They are not already filthy rich, and they are not a collection of scum bags. I have to disagree with the obviously intellectually superior turd, Meanman. Although these "dumb hicks" may not be up to your lofty standards as humans, they don't seem to be the kind of people that blow their fortune on drugs and other stupid crap.
Meanman = arrogant @!$%#. Anyone want to bet against that?
B.Allen = ignorant racist. Anyone want to bet against that?
You really are a mean man, why be so evil about someone else's good luck?
Wow, a bit jealous are we? Not real smart to automatically judge people.
There was another libtard on here calling the guy who won a million "white trash" yesterday. Bitter moonbats showing their true racist colors.
Where did B.Allen say anything about Michigan?
At Mean Man...You have the correct name. Since you used "Dumb Hicks" to describe these lucky folks you must be from the east or west coasts and have complete ignorance when it comes to the rest of the country. You are a disgrace to the human race!!!
Actually, Dumb Hicks is a terminology used by the uneducated without any class.
He probably just think they should be taxed at 100%, and then new low income housing can be set up for him, and they can then increase his food stamp budget too.
Best of luck to them but this is a double edged sword!
Wishing them the best with their winnings! Hope they can enjoy and share it with those that they decide to do so with, without any of the bs that goes with sudden fortunes.
congrats to them......i play and i am always happy for the winners. all wil be good for them i am sure!
Don't spend it on drugs.
Dude... they could literally build a mansion out of cocaine with that if they wanted to... I don't really see how they'd go through it that quickly.
Especially since they don't currently DO drugs. Who gets some money and says "I have this extra cash lying around, maybe I'll use it to start a crack habit"?
People are so dumb
All he needs to do is take 20 million as the I want Account and the rest get diversified in stocks, bids, CASH gold, silver and platinum.. and least not forget the CASH in a safety deposit box....
I just realized I think they're my long lost family and are both very cool and awesome, especially Candy.
Yeah, I THOUGHT they looked familiar, then I realized I'm a first cousin once removed! I think it's time to reconnect, it's been SO long.....
I'm really happy for them, but unless you know them personally (in which case you'll find out anyway), why the hell would anyone care what their names are?
Are you going to name your kids or your truck after them or do you just need to find them so you can beg for money?
I'll bet the bad guys are eager to know who they are. Opportunity for extortion, fraud, ransoms, blackmail...
Certainly lots of people will beg them for money.
The main reason I think most states require disclosure is simply to show that the money was awarded to someone and that someone was not the chairman of the lottery or their spouse.....
I guess it's a downside to winning so much money.
Sure, all that's true, but why does Joe the Plumber get so excited? Why does the general public go into frenzy trying to find out who won?
The headlines should end at "Lottery Won", but when the names are disclosed the headlines are just as big, if not bigger. This morning there was a "Breaking News" banner when the names were released
Really, America? Really?
because we are HAPPY for them. which is more than I can say for a lot of people.
I don't understand why all states don't allow anonymity of the winners. Having to go public not only sets them up for the nuisance of moochers, but it also puts their and their family's lives in danger.
What would I do with such a windfall? I can't even imagine.
RUN.......RUN.......that's what I would do
You probably won't find any "dumb hicks" from Dearborn! At least their last name isn't Arab! Could possibly have been a windfall for the terrorists!!??
It wasn't Dearborn, Michigan moron. It was Dearborn, Missouri, which is a far cry from Dearborn, Michigan. Dearborn, Michigan should be wiped off the face of the earth.
elaine.....Dearborn, Michigan WAS wiped off the map.
Good God, Ballen and Elaine connelly... you are both just terrible, horrible people. Please die in a fire.
@ Travis.....LMAOOOO!
send me a million bucks please! thanks.
Wishing them well for the future. As much as I think I would like that much money, I can't help but think it might be more of a curse than a blessing. I don't know how I would have normal reltionships with people anymore...they couldn't help but think of my big pile of money and every need they had....would be hard for sure!
I'm happy for them, may they handle this well for they & the family. They should not be called "dumb hicks" though that comment was totally uncalled for, lets start showing some kindness and respect for each other.
It's pretty sad when people like meanman make stupid comments like that.
Meanman, you are worse than a pile of cow defecation.
OMG! So much money!! $_$ lol That's awesome! So bad they have to be disclosed, that sometimes brings trouble but it's great they won :) Could you pass some dollars over here? :D I should have bought a ticket on Wed! LOL
well i am sure they have a lawyer today and it will all work out perfectly for them. maybe every bit of their family is loving and kind and grateful...it happens.
wow lucky ppl..was hoping to get a part of it so l can go to a heart specialist..oh well good luck ppl dont be greedy.....and change your phone numbers you will be having ppl come out of the woodwork saying u owe hem money or there family from way back then..lol
Alright Government sick 'em! They are now demons.
WHY! You are not getting enough welfare money from your previous government.
the administration has taught me that anyone with more than me is the enemy
I think that man is my long lost brother who disappeared when he was a kid. I'll have to get in touch.
Can you pass about $301000 to me in Jersey. I would be greatful. Don't want millions, just enough to pay off the house, cars etc.....
That all? How's it feel to WANT?!
Not sure what you are saying----HOW IS IT FEEL TO WANT; I think you need to speak ENGLISH properly....
i think they meant contraction of how does it feel...
Now that they made themselves public. They need to pack their bags and find another place to live. That should be first on their priority list. They might want to consider changing their names. Winning the lottery usually brings a lot of trouble from scavengers who want to feast on someone else's good fortune. I do hope they give a lot to charities that help others and that their good fortune will not change them too much. Most of all, I hope their family remains safe. Criminals will do horrific acts with a whole lot less. Good luck... spend wisely... and stay safe!
I'm not sure about the rules in Missouri, but winners in the state of Illinois must agree to a public appearance on television and a photo shoot for news papers. You are not allowed to remain annonymous. These folks may not have been given the option of whether or not to go public. I know the corporation that runs the lottery does this to ensure the public that a "real" person who is not affiliated with the lottery actually won. That being said, the life they know is over--which is a shame. Maybe they don't want to have to go into hiding and unplug the phones. When my husband and I came into some money, we actually had to have the phone company disconnect our home phone. Shirt tail relatives came out of the wood work looking for a hand out and every hard luck story on the planet came to our door or wrote us letters. It's a terrible thing to have to turn people away but you can't help everyone.
Some of y'all are so negative about everything. This family was blessed for having saved and taken into their home a little Chinese girl, after their own kids were grown. That's a ticket through the Golden Gates. And now they're thinking of adopting another one. These people are the cream of the American crop.
If you knew what happens to Chinese girls, if they're not aborted by the thousands, you'd get it. Please read about some of my experiences here: http://justlooklikefrog.wordpress.com/2011/10/09/misogyny1/
i like that phrase shirttail relative. never heard that one. sounds like something from the south.