Kelsey Zachow, 24.
America: a single mother has won a $66 million lottery jackpot.
The woman from Port Huron won the jackpot that was drawn in mid-June. She told the New York Post this week on Thursday that she did not discover that she had the winning ticket for ten days.
Kelsey Zachow, 24 – who has a seven month old son called Benjamin – will receive the one off cash amounting to nearly $38 million. After taxes, she will be entitled to nearly $27 million, according to the Michigan Lottery.
Kelsey Zachow with her seven month old son, Benjamin.
She said that she had bought several lottery tickets before checking the numbers.
“When the clerk at the store told me I had a big winner I was positive that he was mistaken,” Zachow said. “There was a long line in the store behind me, so I decided to leave and looked the numbers up … when I got into my car. That’s when I realized I had won the jackpot and could barely breathe.”
The lottery said Zachow bought five Mega Millions plays from the station and her fifth set of numbers was the winning ticket.
Speaking at a news conference at the Michigan Lottery regional office, Zachow said: “I jumped in my car and locked the door. I couldn’t breathe. I pulled in the driveway and got out screaming. My boyfriend thought I was in a car accident.”
Her boyfriend of three years, Billy Bartlett, said that she came speeding home at 100mph and kept screaming in excitement, although he didn’t understand quite what the fuss was all about.
After double-checking her tickets, Bartlett said that his jaw “dropped to the floor”.
After sharing the news with a few close friends and family members, Zachow locked the ticket in a safe. She then held meetings with financial planners as well as a lawyer. On Thursday, the Michigan Lottery had an event in suburban Detroit to announce her as the winner of the draw.
Zachow said she plans to buy a new home, take a holiday in Europe, as well as help family members with her prize draw. She also wants to establish college funds for several relatives.
The lucky couple.
She said: “I have always wanted an electric blue Ford Mustang, and one day I will get one, but helping my family live comfortably comes first for me.”
Zachow said that she has been buying lottery tickets two times a week for the past five years, spending an estimated $10,000 on tickets.
“Friday the 13th has always been a really lucky day for me,” the 24 year old said. “I went home that night and I’m like nothing really good happened. (I thought) that’s weird.”
She has now quit working her two jobs, as a part-time bartender and a medical assistant.
Her boyfriend, Barlett, has been unemployed for a year, after being laid off from his job in construction.
Zachow’s winnings were the largest ever won by a Michigan lottery player on a Friday the 13th.
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