Second of three winning tickets claimed from $564 million jackpot draw
Includes video report
RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina woman holding one of three winning tickets for the Feb. 11 Powerball drawing has cashed in her ticket.
Marie Holmes' lottery ticket matched all five white balls and the Powerball in the drawing. The winning numbers were 11, 13, 25, 39 and 54, with Powerball number 19.
(See Three tickets to split massive $564 million Powerball jackpot, Lottery Post, Feb. 12, 2015.)
She was presented with a $188 million check, but opted for the lump sum payout which is worth $127 million.
The single mother has four children, ages 7, 4, 3, and 9 months.
"I scared my kids because I was jumping up and down. They were running away from me," she said at a news conference Monday afternoon.
She says some of this money will be used for her children's educations.
"This is a going to make a huge difference for them," she said. "They will be able to go to school and not have to pay for it. "
Holmes says she also plans on continuing her own education in the nursing field.
Some of her friends and family will be taken care of as well.
The mother of four has been living with seven other people in one home.
"It wasn't comfortable but we made do," she said.
She says she is going to make sure those people are taken care of.
"Everyone in that household is going to have their own place," said Holmes.
While the woman says winning "still doesn't feel real" she says one thing is for sure: "It's not going to change the person I am."
Holmes said that before winning the jackpot she had worked at McDonald's and Walmart, but recently had to quit to care for her young children.
She is one of three people who won the $564 million jackpot. The winner from Puerto Rico claimed their prize anonymously a week after the drawing, while the Texas winner has not yet come forward to claim their share.
VIDEO: Watch raw interview video
She seems like a lovely person and from her other interviews it seems like she's getting everything squared away with her financial advisers. Congrats to Marie Holmes!
I agree, lovely is the word that came to my mind too. A big congrats for a winner who needed the money, and seems to have a good head on her shoulders and a wonderful perspective on life.
One thing that stands out and I do commend her for is that she keeps her children central in her life before and after the win.
If she was to spend $1M a year, which I don't know how anybody can, she will need more than 60 years to spend it all. She has a job that most of us would love.
Congrats Marie, enjoy!
I feel good that a winner is someone who really needs the money. We all hope to win, but if I can't win, I really like seeing someone that has a tough life win.
Congratulations Marie.
In her first interview, Marie stated that she gave her uncle money to purchase her ticket with. Then in a later interview with ABC Network, the anchor asked if her mother purchased the ticket and Marie said yes. Perhaps Marie is distracted by her big win, and isn't hearing/focusing ... I want to enjoy being in that position this month.
I believe her mother had purchased the ticket from her uncle at the store he worked at.
Oh, thanks Drenick1.
Wishing this lady nothing but the Best in life- had we won, we would be hoping others would be saying the same for us..
We can fool ourselves all day that she is a great person and at face value she seems nice and is saying all the right things, but the reality is she is very young, only worked at Walmart for poverty wages yet thought it was a good idea to have 4 children already and if I was a betting man I would bet there are multiple fathers involved. The fact is she makes bad choices in life and that probably is not going to change anytime soon. When people tend to get a lot of money at one time, like pro-athletes do, they seem to think that also makes them financial geniuses and subsequently they think they can make even more money and replicate the success and are easy prey for those in the financial industry and other charlatans in general. The church, her family, friends, boyfriends, lawyers and lawsuits, financial advisors, casinos and everyone else will pick away at that money until it is all gone. I mean look at her, she came out right away and wanted everyone to know she won, not bright at all, not a good sign.
How many people have we watched that made $50 million a fight or had 9 figure contracts that still went broke? The amount of money is irrelevant, you can hand some people a billion dollars and they will still lose it all. I have seen firsthand how a $100 million plus contract gets eaten away, it's not nearly as hard as you think to blow through that kind of money, especially when you are taking care of 20 plus people and their families. Right off the bat her church, specifically her reverend is going to get a nice fat check for probably 10% of her money for doing nothing but being in the right place at the right time. He'll probably buy a gold plated Rolls Royce and about 10 mink furs.
It always amazes me how people are fooled by the personas people exude at press conferences and believe what people say as the truth, but I shouldn't, the amount of awful politicians out there that were elected show that the average person isn't that bright.
I would love to believe that the 26 year old Walmart worker, single mother of 4 children will all of a sudden become a financially savvy person, but I am not naive.
The youngest is 9 months, that means she continued to make bad decisions but this is
nothing new, there are many, in fact too many females living the same way
When your in your 20's those are the best years of your life and they shouldn't be wasted on
out of wedlock children. Congrats and hopefully things will work out for her.
she could be a member here, and reading some tips for years. living in a house with 7 others wasnt easy, well try looking after 7 FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES! a modest , like the one you all shared each should do. and then say your obligation is fulfilled,. the rest is upto them.
I hope she sees your post or hears someone else say the things you said. Sometimes when people think the worst of a person it motivates the person to do better. I pray that God keeps her safe and in the company of honest advisors.
Another great story. Blessings to this young mom & her children. Happy to see she no longer has to worry about the future of her child with CP. My Granny used to day-sit a neighbor's CP daughter during harvest. It's an all hands on deck disability. Also glad to see she realized her first mistaking in that unofficial announcement. No telling how much trouble that caused her.. hence the security that I read about in another article. Plus she was flanked by a lawyer and financial adviser.
You know, we all make mistakes when we are young. That is why youth is wasted on the young. The culture that we live in today tells us there is nothing wrong with having multiple babies out of wedlock by even multiple fathers. But we don't know that is what her situation was. Maybe she is a widow who lost a husband and father of her children in Afghanistan. Don't be so quick to judge to the negative. That this young woman has taken responsibility for her children and was trying to do what was best by staying home with them (one with cerebral palsy), living with relatives, etc to me says a lot. Maybe having that disabled child has opened her eyes to the things she has been doing wrong if indeed that was the case.
WE DON'T KNOW THE TRUTH BEHIND HER CIRCUMSTANCES. I'd prefer to see the good, and that is not being naive.
If she manages the money right that may last generations
Some look for the good, some look for the bad.
I hope she has good counsel and follows it.
Hopefully, the NC lottery put her in touch with the other lottery winner who lives in the next county over. (The female prison guard who took two months getting her affairs in order before coming forward.)
Her financial future squarely rest on the team of attorneys, advisers and CPA that she retains. They all must have compassion and integrity in guiding her while not looking to line their own pockets by taking advantage of her.
This mother is ripe for crooks and even though I really hope she did her due diligence in venting these professionals, I highly doubt it. Her team of professionals should not be buddies with one another as that would present a conflict of interest. Her hometown is relatively small so it's doubtful she had many choices to choose from.
She needs to get a strict and solid financial plan which clearly outlines to where and to whom her funds are being disbursed. Her future is not only dependent on her but the group of financial experts that she has assembled.
She will also owe close to $20 million when she files her taxes so that brings her net payout down to less than $70 million. Her tithing should be based on the net amount and not the annuity value of $188 million. I pray that she has good quality support because I can easily see her money evaporating if she gives in to her family and friends every needs.
You got to be kidding....is this right ?. I didn't even think of this. The government gets close to $20 million each year from her winnings on top of the huge amount they already took out before she got the money. So in 3-4 years they would have taken most of her money.
" The Govt gets close to $20 mil EACH YEAR from her winnings?- where did you get that information from- State your Source Sole?
Venom- Give the gal a break.
At what age did you make your first Million? Do tell!
The Biblical tithe was only crops, livestock and Abraham's war loot...never money. Additionally, only the Israelites were required by law to tithe (crops/livestock) to the Levites who then in turn tithed to the Priests (Malachi 3:7 was actually directed at the priests who oversaw the storehouse where the tithe was kept). So she should not feel coerced nor compelled to pay 10 percent to any religious organization.
For Solewinner, you only pay federal and, if applicable, state taxes on jackpot winnings once, not every year as you stated. If you invest or give gifts exceeding the IRS limit, then you will pay taxes on any interest, dividends, capital gains or excess gift amounts.
When she files her tax every year. I assumed her winnings also get taxed again, depending on the tax rate.
I wonder OSP what the Church would say if she bought a Farm, dropped off her "Tithe" of crops/ livestock at the Church Door: would they refuse it?
Then why does she have to pay $20 million in taxes (according to Drenick1). I thought the govt/ state already took out the tax before she got the money.