ST. CHARLES, Mo. — A St. Charles, Missouri, man and his wife are living the dream that they "never in a gazillion years" expected to have, after they discovered their Powerball ticket from March 22 was worth $96.5 million.
John Brands said he checked his Missouri Lottery tickets with the numbers on the Lottery's website the morning after the drawing, before heading out to play golf. When all six numbers matched, he went to wake his wife, Susan.
"I thought the house was on fire," she said. "I thought he was messing with me."
After showing her the ticket and the website, the pair said they "walked around the house shell-shocked."
"I almost fell over," Susan said remembering the moment she saw all six numbers.
John, a civil engineer, has already quit his job, but Susan, a student studying web design, plans to finish out the semester. John is originally from Portageville, and Susan grew up in Wichita, Kan. Both the Brands are 49-years-old.
As for spending their windfall, the Brands said they plan to "treat themselves to some decent cars," since the cars they currently drive are eight and 10 years old. They also plan to travel, including a trip to New Zealand.
"We're nerds," Susan joked, as she explained they are also movie buffs. "That's where 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' were filmed."
The Brands also said they plan to spend time doing the things they always wanted to do, but didn't have time, such as learning new languages, going to culinary school to learn cooking techniques and for John, taking guitar lessons.
"We are just so humbled by this experience," Susan added. "John and I both feel very blessed and grateful to have this happen to us."
John also mentioned he would also love to buy some farm land.
"Like the line from the movie 'O Brother, Where Art Thou,' 'You ain't no kind of man, if you ain't got land,'" he quipped.
John Brands purchased the winning ticket at Bridgeton Mobil. He let the computer select the winning combination, which was: 13, 28, 31, 55, 58, and the Powerball was 15. The Brands' prize is the sixth-largest jackpot ever won in Missouri.
Bridgeton Mobil will receive a bonus of $50,000 for selling the winning jackpot ticket.
The Brands are the 29th players to win a Powerball jackpot in Missouri, and the 397th Missouri Lottery-made millionaires, since the Lottery began in 1986.
Thanks to lejardin for the tip.
No comment.
"He let the computer select the winning combination, which was: 13, 28, 31, 55, 58, and the Powerball was 15"
A quick pick wins again ...
you new name is (eeyore)
Congratulations John & Susan Brands Spend Wisely
Congrats to them both and may all thar hobbit dreams come true
lord of the rings still comes second to harry potter.
but congrats to the winners
... How about a powerball winner in north carolina some time soon
4 year drought here.
Congratulations and may you enjoy life to the fullest.
Nice catch!
Congrats to the lucky couple! Let the fun begin! Wooooo!!!!!
Guess I'm a loser cause I don't own no land and I live in Government housing.
College student at 49 years......impressive. And the husband quiting his civil engineener job. I'm surprissed he left that job right away considering all the hard work and money it would take to get that position.
I agree. Seems like it would have taken him a couple of months to hand off his work and not compromise his professional title and/or license (and I am not referring to helping his employer out but protecting his own good name). I am glad the wife is finishing out her semester at least. Learning is lifelong!
Good For You John And Susan:
Sometimes Lady Luck does pick the right winmners.
M ay You invest well and give back to God what God has given to You:
That's a good win, generational wealth
I would leave my job straight away if I won.
Congratulation John & Susan
I would walk off my job in the middle of a shift if I found out I won the lottery and NEVER come back.
I lied.
I would wait till the ticket was confirmed by the lottery office before I QUIT. LO L After it is confirmed I would purposely go to work just to walk off my job in the middle of a shift and tell them to kiss it.
Congrats to John and Susan, enjoy!
Missouri - the "show me" state.
As in "Show me the money!"
Yeah, you'd think with a net of only $25 to 30 million he'd want something to fall back on in case the money runs out.
lol Well if you worked for degrees and a professional title and built up a good reputation in your industry, you would understand that money is not everything. Taking a few weeks to get things in order would not have interfered with his wealth. This relates to respect for himself and not his employer. But perhaps he was very marginal in his profession.
Anyone with an engineering degree should be miles ahead of most people financially anyway. I do suspect this couple does not make the best decisions in that area. I could be totally wrong, but having worked with engineers in several of my positions over the years, I know they make good money. Down to brass tacks, this could mean that at only 49 yrs old, that $35m +/- net could be gone in a few short, fun filled, spendy years. The article does not mention children or other family, so maybe there is not a need for generational wealth.
I hope I'm wrong.
As to quitting so quickly... First, I'd have to know when the funds are in my accounts and available. The drawing was only a week ago... they're not going to see any money for another couple weeks. If you want to walk off your job so quickly, that is fine, but it's not for me. Second, out of respect for my personal and professional reputation, AND those coworkers that I have respect for, I'd have to give enough notice to train people to do my work responsibilities. I've inherited work from people who left, without training, and it is not fun figuring things out. Actually the article does not say he walked off the job, just that he has quit... maybe he has given notice and has another week or more on the job.
It's too easy to win Powerball in Missouri.
Except for me.
For the record, I'm the only Missouri resident who's not a Powerball winner.
I'm here in Saudi Arabia, visiting my dad. Yay! I can access LP don't know why, but just wanted to see if I can. I wonder if it's safe to buy ticket online? Idon't know why I wanted to win jejeje....
I've been watching the HP marathon on The Family Channel over the weekend; I have the DVDs, but usually try to watch the movies when they come on. I saw where it was Robbie Coltrane's b-day yesterday and while I was watching the movies, got to thinking that I can't think of anyone who couuld have been cast in the role of Hagrid that would have been/done any better...ditto for *almost* all the rest of the characters.
I have the paperbacks, plus a set (still in the box) of the hardcovers. I have a friend in England who sent me the British versions of the books - different cover art and the first book has different spellings/text in places, as well as being titled "Philosopher's Stone". I was discussing the books with my great-niece on her Facebook page and my sister/her grandmother noticed my enthusiasm and sent me a replica Sorting Hat for Christmas a couple of yrs. ago! I just got through re-reading the series; not quite sure why I love the books so much, never been into fantasy or anything similar, but they're well-written and a good morality tale.
759 cal
If he was concerned about future employment he'd still be working. If he wants an engineering job down the road his years of not working will matter far more than the fact that he once quit his job.
Of course, you apparently know far more about his emplyment situation than I do, so perhaps you'd share the relevant details about the important project that will go unfinished because he abandoned it.