Cheng ‘Charlie’ Saephan holds display check during a news conference where it was revealed that he was one of the winners of the $1.3billion Powerball jackpot at the Oregon Lottery headquarters on Monday (Picture: AP)
An immigrant who has been fighting cancer for eight years is calling himself ‘blessed’ after winning a $1.3billion Powerball jackpot lottery.
Cheng ‘Charlie’ Saephan, a 46-year-old born in Laos, bought the winning ticket at a Plaid Pantry convenience store in Portland, where he lives, in early April.
Oregon Lottery officials announced Saephan, who had chemotherapy treatment last week, as the winner on Monday.
‘I am grateful for the lottery and how I have been blessed,’ said Saephan at a press conference, according to KOIN. ‘I am able to provide for my family and my health… My life has been changed. Now I can bless my family and hire a good doctor for myself.’
Saephan bought 20 tickets for the drawing, putting his bets on faith and luck.
‘I prayed to God to help me,’ he said. ‘My kids are young and I’m not that healthy.’
Saephan opted for a lump sum of $422million after taxes. He and his wife, Duanpen Saephan, 37, will share the money with their friend Laiza Chao, 55, of Milwaukee, because she contributed $100 toward the tickets, he said.
‘I said, “Laiza, where are you?” and she said, “I’m going to work,”‘ he recounted. ‘I replied, “You don’t have to go anymore.”‘
Saephan said he is first planning to buy a home in Oregon.
His winning is the fourth-biggest Powerball jackpot in history and the eighth largest of all jackpot games in the US, said Oregon Lottery officials.
He said he will continue to purchase lottery tickets.
‘I might get lucky again,’ he said. ‘I’ll keep playing.’
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