An Army veteran from Statesville, North Carolina, plans to give his $250,000 lottery jackpot to help people battling substance abuse.
Terry McClelland and his wife intend to use the proceeds from his lucky scratch-off ticket win to start a non-profit counseling center aimed at freeing people from their addictions — his wife's lifelong dream.
"This is what I was put on this earth to do," McClelland's wife, also named Terry, told lottery officials. She is is pursuing her doctorate in psychology. "It's my calling," she said. "This is why I did all those years of college. There's people out there that need something, and now we are going to be able to help and bless someone else."
Her husband stopped by the Speedway on Turnersburg Highway in Statesville on Saturday to play the $250,000 Diamond Dazzler scratch-off. He beat odds of 1 in 1.2 million.
"When I scratched that ticket, I couldn't believe it," he said when the couple claimed the prize at lottery headquarters in Raleigh on Monday. "It's still unbelievable."
After state and federal tax withholdings, the couple took home $173,754.
The $5 game started in September with five top prizes of $250,000. Two top prizes remain to be claimed.
Those are good people. I hope the Good Lord blesses them even more.
Congratulations to them. They know where the need is.
These are caring and loving people.May god bless them even more.I lost my brother at age 29 to alcoholism so I understand the desire to want to help others in need by battling addiction to help save others. These are very kind hearted people
A noble gesture