A year ago, William Shanteau and his 13 co-workers at a Detroit auto plant were worried their jobs could be gone at any moment.
Now they're all millionaires after winning a share of last week's $96.9 million Powerball drawing.
Most of the group from the paint shop at a Chrysler plant that makes Jeep Grand Cherokees plans to keep working, Shanteau said Thursday after working a 12-hour shift.
"It's like family," he said, adding that at least two of the jackpot winners plan to retire, and he wouldn't mind leaving early down the road.
For now, it seems most jobs at the Jefferson North plant are secure -- not that it matters much for the lucky 14 -- after Chrysler said in May it would add about 1,100 jobs to build the new Grand Cherokee.
Shanteau, 46, showed up two hours late for a news conference Thursday in his hometown of Curtice, Ohio, which is just outside Toledo, because he had to work overtime. He drove up in a new red Corvette and received an oversized check.
He said the group has been pooling its money for lottery tickets for almost two years, and he joined it about six months ago. The others, who all live Michigan, have stayed out of the spotlight.
Shanteau bought the lucky ticket, one of two winners. The other winner was sold in Montana and will be shared by two health care co-workers.
The autoworkers claimed their prize Monday and chose to take a lump-sum cash payment, worth about $25.1 million. After taxes, each autoworker gets $1.2 million.
Shanteau, who's a regular lottery player, won a $100,000 jackpot about six years ago.
He said he was laid off for about a year in the early 1990s and has been making cars for 27 years. He now wants to buy his wife a Jeep and pay for new American flags for his hometown.
"That's it," he said, looking over at his new Corvette. "I've got my dream."
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I am glad for this guy, but the thing that interest me is that he purchased a GM Vet. Maybe
he knows something we dont about the Jeep. LOL
RL
He said he's going to buy his wife a new Grand Cherokee so I think it's more of always wanting to own a Red Corvette.
While it's nice 24 people won $1.2 million and two people split the other ticket in Montana, it looks like the tax man is the biggest winner.
Well, I bet that many a "tax man" /woman has continuous fantasies of getting to keep the collected sums.
Yet, instead the fed, state, or county government they work for gets it.
The autoworkers claimed their prize Monday and chose to take a lump-sum cash payment, worth about $25.1 million. After taxes, each autoworker gets $1.2 million.
If they are working 12 hrs. shifts most of the time then their winnings equal about 10 years of pay which could go fast if it was all they had to depend on.
Congratulations to them. That was a cool photo Todd.
Congrats to all the winners on their win! It's nice to see a large group of people win a jackpot. I am sure the money will be very helpful to them.
You gotta love a guy who has his priorities in order, and buys a Vette before anything else!
Congrats to everyone, sweet vet!
Nice looking corvette. I bet that thing can really move!-weshar75
Hi I'm Abdul I just wanna say congratulation to Shanteau and his 13 co-workers that was the big blessing
Hi Abdul,
Welcome to Lottery Post!
but on a more serious note ...... I wonder how long b4 he gets too brave for his britches and decides to turn off the traction control and wraps it around something
yeah 1 mill isnt a lot nowadays. keeping his job in these tough times is prob a smart move. the winnings can work for him if he finds a good place to put it, and workking will keep his mind off blowing all his winnings on stupid stuff.