$11M lottery win saves Illinois couple from bankruptcy

Dec 14, 2011, 6:10 pm (33 comments)

Illinois Lottery

Bouncing up and down with excitement, Minooka, Illinois, resident Janet Gossett said she and her husband plan to use their lottery winnings to go to Minnesota and see Walnut Grove, a town made famous on "Little House on the Prairie."

Craig and Janet Gossett of Minooka began Wednesday in Chicago, picking up the check for $11.25 million that they won in the Illinois Lottery over the weekend. Like many recent lottery winners, the Gossets plan to use the money pay off bills.

Although the check will list $11.25 million, the couple has opted for a lump sum payment and will collect $8,290,350.

A Romeoville native, husband Craig is a truck driver for Black Horse Carriers in Dwight — an ordinary Joe now thrust into a multimillion dollar world.

"I don't know. Until I can see the money in the bank, it's something different," he said of how he feels about the win. "I always told my friends that I was going to win the lottery."

Residents of Minooka for a decade, the couple moved here in 2001 because they said they enjoy the country feeling. Janet Gossett is a 10-year cervical cancer survivor and the couple cannot have children. Janet Gossett is on disability but spends her time helping others in the community, including getting gas and groceries for her elderly neighbors.

At the check presentation, Craig Gossett told attendees that despite working five days a week delivering food to Aldi, he and his wife had begun the process to file bankruptcy. Now, he said, they do not have to do that.

"Me and my wife were struggling for three years and I fell behind on my credit card," Craig Gossett said. "Now I have to call my lawyer and tell him."

The couple, who do not own their mobile home, plan to buy a house in neighboring Morris and would like to take a modest vacation to Minnesota.

The winning ticket was purchased in Morris at the BP Fast N Fresh. The winning numbers for the Dec. 10, 2011 Illinois Lotto drawing — 7-10-15-16-40 and 44 — do not hold any special significance for the couple. Ordinarily, Craig Gossett plays the couples' anniversaries and birthdays, but the winning ticket was a Quick Pick.

The Gossetts said they do not want to let the money change who they are. And, in the short time that they have been millionaires, they've already made the decision to help others. The couple say they're going to let a friend stay in their mobile home for free and Craig plans to fix up his existing truck and give it to his brother.

"One of the best parts of being a lottery supervisor is to meet winners, because they are so blessed and have such great stories," Illinois Lottery Superintendent Michael Jones said at the check presentation.

Channahon-Minooka Patch

Comments

TheRightPrice

Hopefully,

 

I'm next to be saved tonight!

 

BananaHyperNoelDanceWhite Bounce

gocart1's avatargocart1

Congrats to the winning couple...So nice to hear some Good news this time of year.PartyUS FlagPartyNoel

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

when someone say's "i don't know. until i can see the money in the bank,it's something different,"

then i have full confidence this winner will be smart w/ the money.

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

Quote: Originally posted by on Mar 28, 2024

i see you are new here, are you quitting lp as well ?

hearsetrax's avatarhearsetrax

well should be curious story from here on out Roll Eyes

weshar75's avatarweshar75

Congrats to the winners and I am glad that they do not have to file bankruptcy because that sucks.  Hopefully they will enjoy the money they won.-weshar75

dr65's avatardr65

Quote: Originally posted by on Mar 28, 2024

I don't see what a story posted here on Lottery Post has to do with making you spend your money. I'm happy you're quitting, one less disgruntled

player in line complaining or just in general about not winning anything.

Litebets27's avatarLitebets27

Congratulations to the lucky couple...Thumbs Up

jeffrey's avatarjeffrey

Quote: Originally posted by TheRightPrice on Dec 14, 2011

Hopefully,

 

I'm next to be saved tonight!

 

BananaHyperNoelDanceWhite Bounce

me too ;)

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

Almost filing for bankruptcy and still having faith in the lottery and winning the jp is one heck of a story.

It just goes to show that the home the jackpot decides to visit is really random and meaningless. Nice

Lukep

Quote: Originally posted by dr65 on Dec 14, 2011

I don't see what a story posted here on Lottery Post has to do with making you spend your money. I'm happy you're quitting, one less disgruntled

player in line complaining or just in general about not winning anything.

I'm quiting 2 because i just find out the lottery is a hoax to get people hard earn money. Worst of all, the government involve it. It is another way to collect tax money. I just found out all those pledge they say money willl go to education is not true. I advise you to quit playing the lottery 2 because you will realize that you are throwing your money away. Truth is nobody really wins big jackpot as they claim.

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

Quote: Originally posted by haymaker on Dec 14, 2011

i see you are new here, are you quitting lp as well ?

what happened to the post i was replying to ?

one about no longer playing ?

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

Quote: Originally posted by Lukep on Dec 14, 2011

I'm quiting 2 because i just find out the lottery is a hoax to get people hard earn money. Worst of all, the government involve it. It is another way to collect tax money. I just found out all those pledge they say money willl go to education is not true. I advise you to quit playing the lottery 2 because you will realize that you are throwing your money away. Truth is nobody really wins big jackpot as they claim.

Dont be upset Mark/Lukep that you havent won and some people are winning. Its supposed to be that way, one winner and one million losers. I agree with you the part of the government taking a huge chunk of the pool money and further taxing the jp after someone has won. Thats just greed.

s5thomps's avatars5thomps

Thanks Todd! I was going to suggest that you post this story. I was recently in Kenosha Wisconsin and I picked up a Illinois lottery ticket for 15 advance drawings on the way back to Alaska (so I had a chance in that drawing) Nice to see  it go to someone who can really use it. Oh well I still have 11 draws left on that Illinois ticket and I also have advance tickets for the Wisconsin Megabucks drawing tonight! (Sure would be nice to win both, but if I had a choice it would be megabucks since the jackpot is higher) Be nice to win that jackpot right before the holidays, but I guess that is true for a lot of people around the country. 

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