One year later, Powerball still treats them well

Feb 19, 2007, 10:26 am (13 comments)

After the Big Win

Mike Terpstra could dream with the best of his lottery-playing co-workers at a Lincoln ham-processing plant.

What, they wondered, would they do if they won?

Terpstra fantasized about buying a remote tropical island, like one that actor Marlon Brando owned, or purchasing the Christina O, the luxury personal yacht in the fleet of the late shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis.

Either would be a warm escape from the chilly conditions in the ConAgra Foods plant.

But a year after he and seven co-workers split a still-record Powerball jackpot of $365 million, Terpstra says the lifestyle of an overnight multimillionaire is much less lavish.

"I'm still me," the 48-year-old former graveyard-shift sanitation supervisor said as he sat on an overstuffed leather couch in his new, $470,000 home in southeast Lincoln.

"The most extravagant thing I've done is I've started to play golf. I'm pretty practical."

Terpstra and two other lottery winners spoke publicly for the first time about the blessings — and burdens — of winning $15.5 million: the lump sum amount each winner received.

Their comments, official records and interviews with relatives, friends and neighbors of other winners show that they've mostly been cautious since the amazing story broke about eight laborers from a steam-belching meat-processing plant — including refugees from Vietnam and Africa — hitting the jackpot on Feb. 18, 2006.

While they've mostly gone their separate ways, all still have homes in Nebraska.

"This is paradise right here," Eric Zornes, 41, said as he surveyed the 160-acre deer-hunting and bass-fishing retreat he purchased near Cook, Neb. — a spread he calls Easy Acres.

The winners have purchased new cars, including BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes, and taken trips.

Instead of going to work, they're playing golf and racquetball, toying with race cars, studying business and, in one case, buying businesses.

Those interviewed said they appreciate the reaction of Nebraskans, who have largely respected the winners' privacy and not hounded them for money.

None has burned through the sudden wealth.

"We're all pretty level-headed," said David Gehle, 54, leaning on a new Toro snowblower as he cleared the driveways of two neighbors.

For years, published reports have indicated that a sizable number of lottery winners wind up bankrupt. But there appears to be little or no authoritative research supporting that.

Jim Hoppe, the Lincoln attorney who represented all eight winners initially and still represents three, said that, on the whole, they've been more conservative with their winnings than he might have been.

"There's a common perception that they're working folks and they won't know how to hang onto their money. I don't think that's the way it is. They know the value of a dollar and to keep themselves out of trouble," Hoppe said.

The attorney expects reporters' requests for interviews to pick up with the anniversary. They had faded, he said, along with the oddball pleas for money, including pitches to finance moving a firearms company to Lincoln and investing in an oilfield.

The lottery winners, he said, generally want to live quiet lives. Except for the stressful moments in the national spotlight a year ago, they are enjoying their lives of financial luxury.

"Everyone says people want to be rich and famous. I don't think these (winners) wanted to be famous or gain any great notoriety," Hoppe said.

Omaha World-Herald

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Litebets27's avatarLitebets27

Now, that's what I like, success stories like theirs. Sometimes, after reading all of those horror stories of those who burn through their winnings and end up miserable sometimes make you stop and think, "is it really worth it to win a really large jackpot?"

I feel that I will be a pretty level headed winner. I don't aspire to be a famous or publicly noted person.

Good examples like thesewill keep me playing the big jackpots.

Congrats again to those winners.

litebets

MADDOG10's avatarMADDOG10

Quote: Originally posted by Litebets27 on Feb 19, 2007

Now, that's what I like, success stories like theirs. Sometimes, after reading all of those horror stories of those who burn through their winnings and end up miserable sometimes make you stop and think, "is it really worth it to win a really large jackpot?"

I feel that I will be a pretty level headed winner. I don't aspire to be a famous or publicly noted person.

Good examples like thesewill keep me playing the big jackpots.

Congrats again to those winners.

litebets

I couldn't agree more Litebets...!

justxploring's avatarjustxploring

Good Story!  

I believe this type of story is more common than not.  After all, if someone works hard for a living, he knows what it's like to worry about the next rent payment, so he'll be very grateful for this blessing, realizing that being frivolous and irresponsible will hurt his family.  The people who blow their winnings are usually irresponsible to begin with. I think the judgments I always read about the working class are very insulting.  Not that these families were poor to begin with, but this country often synonymizes wealth with intelligence and poverty with stupidity.  I've known a lot of stupid rich people.

chasingadream's avatarchasingadream

wow.....this is a great story. I'm really happy for all of them. I'm so glad that it's brought joy instead of sorrow to their lives

HiYoSilver

Congrats to 7 lucky and sane winners. It's nice to hear about people winning and not going crazy with the money.Smile

dphillips's avatardphillips

Blessings and peace!

wizeguy's avatarwizeguy

It's good to hear the winners are staying level headed. I do hope the money is allowing them to follow their dreams though.

dumars798's avatardumars798

Quote: Originally posted by HiYoSilver on Feb 19, 2007

Congrats to 7 lucky and sane winners. It's nice to hear about people winning and not going crazy with the money.Smile

I Agree!

tony2222

as a working class poor i am proud for all of us happy go lucky bunch of dumb pigsBanana

mountainman

It is great for the state of Nebraska and these seven individuals. Congrats Ya'll!!

ecnirP's avatarecnirP

Clearing the driveways of two of his neighbors with a snowblower. Nice.

LckyLary

Awww, no Pink Ponies? No 10-Liter hats??

You are a product of all the decisions you made in life up to now, including, any you made after winning a jackpot. The worst thing to do is to give the impression that you'll give money away or that friends can have a dollar value.

sirbrad's avatarsirbrad

"I'm still me," the 48-year-old former graveyard-shift sanitation supervisor said as he sat on an overstuffed leather couch in his new, $470,000 home in southeast Lincoln."

Yes but you are now A LOT happier you, and one with a ton of free time and A LOT of money to buy stuff to fill that free time. Anyone who doesn't leave their old job, or can't come up with a new lifestyle; has no business even winning.

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