When Sandra Hayes hit a $224 million Powerball jackpot with 12 of her co-workers, she didn't retire immediately.
Hayes was a social worker with the state of Missouri then, and she was a single mom of three who was twice divorced. Her income was less than $26,000 a year.
She had debt, including school loans, and she still was having a hard time believing that she had won. She wanted to wait until she had her winnings in hand.
But things at work got increasingly difficult.
She started getting letters from all over the country from people who said they needed money for a variety of emergencies.
"They were desperate, but I had no idea who they were," she said.
Those who didn't send letters, sent faxes, or they'd show up in the lobby at her office and ask to speak to her.
"After a while, I just said I'm not coming out," she said. "I told them this is not a client."
Some even showed up at her Florissant home on the weekends. She got to the point where she didn't open her door.
And it wasn't just strangers. A friend whom Hayes had known for years sought Hayes' help in paying three years worth of back taxes. She said if she didn't pay up, she was going to lose her house.
Hayes offered the names of several organizations that could help, but the woman claimed she had already tried, and they wouldn't assist her.
"You know how you can pick up a vibe off a person that something's funny?" Hayes said. "Well that's how I felt, so I told her I'd think about it."
After the woman left, Hayes searched a St. Louis County government website for her friend's property tax records. They were paid in full. She printed out the page and mailed it to her. They didn't speak again.
Hayes said it was experiences like these that led her to now self-publish a 42-page paperback, "How Winning the Lottery Changed My Life." It's available at bookstores and online and retails for $11.96. (Book available here.)
Hayes, 51, said she has matured a lot since winning the lottery in April 2006.
The morning she found out that she had won, she was running late for work. Hayes suffers from lupus, and she wasn't feeling well.
Her supervisor called to ask if she was coming in, and Hayes feared she might get fired. But she told Hayes she and her co-workers had won the Powerball. Even after another co-worker called and verified the news, Hayes didn't believe it.
Hayes said she was overwhelmed by her newfound wealth, and everything that came with it — like her new tax rate. She took a lump sum payment, which she said was significantly less than the $8.5 million reported at the time, although she wouldn't say how much she got.
She retired and paid off her bills and her home. She bought a second home and new cars for herself and her two daughters. She paid off her son's car loan and bought new furniture and clothes. She took her family on several vacations, something she was never able to afford before.
Hayes donated money to organizations that helped her when she needed it and to people who needed help, like a woman whose teeth were knocked out in a domestic assault.
She even appeared on a reality TV show that detailed how she and three of her other co-workers spent their first Christmas as millionaires.
But after the spending spree and the publicity died down, Hayes realized that even millionaires needed to be on a budget. She still shops at discount stores and is taking up couponing.
"If I don't budget right, I could spend my money by the time I'm 60," she said.
Hayes is grateful she won the lottery and can spend her days gardening, cooking or fishing. And she's working on an afterschool program that would teach children healthy eating habits and cooking skills.
But she's had to weigh those pluses against the minuses, like having to find new friends.
"It feels good now to be with people who will take you out to dinner or buy you a drink, and there's no strings attached," she said. "They love me for who I am and not because of what I have."
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Sandra has a smart head on her shoulder, probably more then most who win even larger jackpots.
God bless her, she deserves everything she received!
Is it just me...or doe's Sandra remind you of Whoopi Goldberg? Could be her twin sister.
Congrats Sandra, I hope you find some peace and quiet so you can enjoy time with your family.
"It feels good now to be with people who will take you out to dinner or buy you a drink,
and there's no strings attached," she said.
"They love me for who I am and not because of what I have."
well said
You will know who your true friends are.....the ones that don't ask for a dime and are happy for you.
Nice lady! Maybe Todd can write a post about my big win soon! No picture though.
It is always nice to hear of a winner who manages their money and doesn't end up broke within a year. Congrats on your win Sandra!
"Hayes searched a St. Louis County government website for her friend's property tax records. They were paid in full."
Some friend.
This woman's experiences after her win isnt much different than other big winner's experiences. It happens to them all, and that type of thing has been well documented here and other places.
Claiming a JP anonymously is the only way to go, but the gaming laws of individual states may or may not let that happen.
Take heed and learn from her experience. If your name is required to be made public, then prior to collecting your prize, you need to have a plan in place to disappear immediately after the session where you are introduced to the public. It should be part of the discussions you have with your lawyer, financial advisors et al before you go to collect.
Glad to see that she is doing well. You never can tell how the win will affect people long-term.
Amen Give5, I have seriously considered moving immediately to a gate restricted community after a big win to avoid just this very issue and even going on a month long vacation to visit other states for a 2nd home away from home. Course if you have kids in school that won't work..but moving will. You can always tear up letters or stamp them, "return to sender, no longer at this address"....
well if she thought people werent going to bother her any more they sure are now after reading this
It has to really hurt to have life long friends treat you like that. But, if my friend won the lottery, I would be envious and would need a moment to get used to her wealth. is that selfish?
This is a beautiful story. Shame on the "property tax" friend, everybody who reads this story will curse her. Thats a lot of curses.
If the story is retold in the newly published book then she will forever be grouped with Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus for 30 gold coins.
You don't even have to win the lottery for these folks to come out. You just need to make a decent amount of money. People put their hands out for "gimmee, lend me, can you spare?" all of the time. What amazes me is that when they get their hands on some money..they can't remember "those bills" that they owe. They burn through their cash and then think that you should give yours to them.
I think that falls under being human.
Agreed!! That really burns me up!
It is possible that the "friend" had a different loan they needed to have paid, but were embarrassed to admit and so made up that it was property taxes. At least, that's what my optimistic side says.
However, the truth is probably that they "felt" they "deserved" some of her money.
I agree that's just normal human feelings, and it's okay to have those feelings. How you deal with them and express those feelings is the key to being a mature person a nd a good friend.
I'm glad she has revealed her story on how people can be because it just let's me and everybody on this board that are future lottery winners that even your friends will act up.
When my aunt won millions in the lottery a coupke of years ago her kids acted up and stop speaking to each other and be on facebook and twitter acting up.
This story let's me know i will put my business in order first before giving out anything i have a strong feeling i'm getting ready to win millions in the lottery very soon.
If you think stuff and it penetrates in your mind and the universe that thought can be produced by imagination and the thing you think about can be created into reality.
1. Move away, or buy a house in a guard gated neighborhood and a couple of dogs and learn to say NO.
2. Buy a gun. If people show up at your door and see your gun, they probably won't come back again, that is if the dogs don't eat them first.
3. Buy a big shredder and immediately deposit any letters or faxes directly into it.
It's years too late for Sandra Hayes! However, future non-anonymous, net multi-million lottery jackpot winners -- after receiving their own lottery jackpot winnings -- can painlessly make out helpful $6K+ one-time "Gift Checks" and give to their five closest friends.
Probably most of those friends wouldn't be insulted, but rather thankful that their net multi-million jackpot winning friend was being a concerned and sharing "financial friend" to them. It is said that people of similar incomes and etc. "flock" to each other. If that is true, each of the net multi-million lottery jackpot winner's friends receives a similar annual income, which is usually under gross $100K annually, so additional funds are probably uplifting and helpful to receive!
The article reads: "She took a lump sum payment, which she said was significantly less than the $8.5 million reported at the time, although she wouldn't say how much she got."
Well, it's a shame that shared Powerball jackpot winner Sandra Hayes wouldn't say. However, most of us can calculate that she RECEIVED a net of apx. $5.7 million dollars after 4% Missouri state and 34.9% U.S.A. federal income taxes deducted. This is an excellent amount of monies for her and her children to live very well off of the mainly interest and some of the principal during their entire lifetimes; even if each lives to a ripe old age of now more common 100 years.
It says 30 pieces of silver in my book.
It's been said here a few times before.
The money may not change you but it may change your friends.
And that would be a shame.
But I don't think it would change people who truly were your friends.
Ridge, I hear ya on the "truly friends" aspect......Look at family after a death where numerous assets are divided amongst family. The "blood is thicker than water" has the same demise as " money changes your friends". True friends and true relatives are rare..Here's
hoping that you, the other positive L.P. kids and I never have to experience what this lotto winner did.(other than winning)
Roger that, CD.
That's why rich folks seem to gravitate toward exclusive communities full of other rich people. That way they won't have the <snip> worried out of them constantly by human leaches of one sort or another. I think I'd want to live someplace where I'm in at least the bottom 20 or so % in terms of total wealth. Might even be someplace out of the country, and I'd take my money with me.
3. Buy a big shredder and immediately deposit any letters or faxes directly into it.
Speaking of deposits, if anyone gets past the guard and dogs, and the shredder is big enough ... oh, nevermind.
Don't worry. Another four years, you'll be in the bottom 20% and you won't have to go anywhere.