GREAT FALLS, Mt. — Jack Barisich, an 86-year-old retired snow plow driver with the Montana Department of Transportation living in Winnett, Montana, has claimed the grand prize in the Montana Millionaire lottery drawing.
A press release from the Montana Lottery says that Barisich got the winning ticket as a gift from Stacie Schissler of Great Falls, a relative of his son's.
Schissler bought the ticket at the Pit Stop in Black Eagle. She told Lottery officials that it's not her usual place to buy tickets, but she was in Black Eagle for a work holiday party and went in.
The Barisich family has a Christmas tradition of exchanging Montana Lottery tickets.
All the adults in the extended Montana family that stretches from Great Falls to Billings to Winnett exchange Scratch tickets as presents, and they always buy Montana Millionaire tickets.
They have one rule: If anybody wins, the winner splits the prize with the person who gave them the ticket.
But nobody ever really thought they'd win. This time, however, the family's luck changed.
Now Jack and Stacie have have split the jackpot winnings.
"I just couldn't believe it," Schissler said.
Barisich had already returned to Winnett after Christmas when Montana Lottery officials in Helena drew his lucky number four days after the holiday. His son called him but Barisich didn't believe him.
"It's still a little hard to believe, to tell you the truth," Barisich said.
The family kept their ticket locked in a safe until they could all visit Montana Lottery headquarters in Helena to validate their win and claim their prize.
Right now, neither Schissler nor Barisich have specific plans for the winnings.
They're still taking it all in.
"This doesn't happen very often," Barisich said.
86 years young, he'll enjoy it!
Congrats to the winners.
Congratulations to Jack and Stacie. Good news from Montana.
Congrats to Jack and Stacie.
I love reading good news stories like this!
May they enjoy the win in good health.
Congrats Mr Plow!
"A press release from the Montana Lottery says that Barisich got the winning ticket as a gift from Stacie Schissler of Great Falls, a relative of his son's."
Wonder if Stacie will get hit with a gift tax?!?!
Aww thats nice
God has blessed you with this money. Money can be a blessing and a curse. You are older and with age comes wisdom. You have a life time of experience. When in doubt as to what to do with, so many people asking you for help. Please turn to the good book and remember to do God's will in all things and your blessings will come again and again. May the good Lord hold you in his hands and teach you so many more wonderful things. Remember it is better to help teach someone how to make money then it is to give them money. If a person does not posses the knowledge of making money then they will continue to be in the same situation again and again. Albert Einstein said, ''insanity is doing the same things over and over again, and expecting a different result.''
Maybe now Jack can get his teeth fixed, what remains of them!
Depends on who claimed it. If he did then no she won't pay a dime.
Congratulations Jack & Stacie.
Congrats to Jack & Stacie. I really like that one rule. LOL!