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Retired Kansas Truck Driver Hits $96 Million Powerball Jackpot

Sometimes….actually more times than you might think… good things happen to good people.

I repeatedly point that out in my lottery book (see book to right). But here is another instance. Donald Damon, a 70 year old retired trucker, hit for $96 million playing Powerball.

He told lottery officials on Friday the 13th (not an unlucky day for him) that he was surprised when his daughter told him he had won the lottery.

Damon at first thought he had won $20 million. The starter jackpot. But no, the Great Bend, Kansas resident was told it was actually $96 million.

“I said to my daughter, ‘what?’”

Damon had been a trucker for 27 years. His daughter Karen had lost her job recently. His wife works three jobs to pay the bill.

Karen Damon said she heard that someone in Kansas won the jackpot and checked her dad’s ticket, noticing first that he matched the Powerball of 22.

The other five matched as well, but she had not realized just how big the prize was.

“That’s probably his new lucky number,” Karen Damon said of the Powerball. “It was an awesome thing. My parents definitely deserve it.”

Damon said he bought tickets all over while driving his truck, but never won more than $250.

“Most of the time it’s nothing,” he said. “I’m just getting some of my money back.”

Damon chose to take the lump sum payment. After taxes, his share is $33.8 million.

His wife had the ultimate say in describing what it feels like to be an instant millionaire: “I can’t believe it. I keep thinking Monday morning I don’t have to get up at 4 o’clock and go to work,” Kathleen Damon said.

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