Debbie Kujava stopped at a Holiday convenience store in Roseau, Minn., to buy a Diet Sunkist after work on March 13.
While there, she decided to buy a lottery-ticket bundle for $7. She thought she might win $1 or $2.
When she realized on Thursday that her ticket matched every number for the multi-state Lotto America game, she stepped outside to calm down and smoke a cigarette.
"I was shaking. My heart was beating so fast," Debbie Kujava said Monday at Minnesota Lottery headquarters in Roseville. "I couldn't believe it."
Then, she called her brother, Dennis Kujava. The siblings had an agreement: if either of them won the lottery, they would split the money evenly.
The siblings live a half-mile apart in Badger, Minn.; a small town of 375 near the Canadian border on Minnesota 11.
Debbie Kujava thought they won $2 million. When she told her brother she thought they were millionaires, he said, "Yeah, right."
It was Dennis Kujava's daughter, Denise Kujava, who discovered they had actually won $22.8 million. She and her sister will share their father's half of the jackpot.
After finding out she won the jackpot, Debbie Kujava worked three 12-hour shifts over the weekend as a licensed practical nurse at LifeCare Medical Center in Roseau.
She resigned from her job at 7 p.m. Sunday.
When she told her boss she was quitting because she had won the lottery, Debbie Kujava started crying. "I love my job. I love my residents," she said.
Debbie Kujava, 57, plans to pay off all of her bills and her house, as well as donate to multiple charities including North Country Horsemen Saddle Club in Middle River, Minn.
Denise Kujava, 34, works at Polaris Industries in Roseau and plans to pay off her camper. "That's all I know for now," she said Monday as she, her father and her aunt validated their winning ticket with the Minnesota Lottery.
Dennis Kujava, 66, is retired from working at Polaris. He plans to donate some of the money to Concordia Lutheran Church in Badger.
"We've been going there all our lives, and it's a rural church," Dennis Kujava said.
After taxes on the $13.5 million cash-option payout, the Kujavas will receive a check for about $9.4 million. As the store that sold the winning ticket, the Holiday at 503 Third St. N.W. in Roseau will receive a $10,000 bonus.
The Kujavas won the first jackpot prize in the Lotto America game that began just four months ago. Lotto America replaced the canceled Hot Lotto game.
The odds of matching all five Lotto America numbers plus the Star Ball are 1 in nearly 26 million, according to the Minnesota Lottery.
Along with Minnesota, Lotto America is played in Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee and West Virginia.
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The tax man certainly ruins the party. The Kujavas may also owe more taxes on the $9.4 million check. State and Federal taxes are silent partners in our game.
I totally agree Music. Dont get me wrong, I would be happy and grateful to win this jackpot but to come out with less than $9.4 million net from a $22.8 million jackpot, well that is pretty pathetic.
But congrats to the winners.
You are missing the fact that they chose a $13.5 million CASH PAYOUT. The $22 million was an annuity. The taxes were based on the cash amount, not the $22 million.
Exactly- added to that is the fact that these folks are at home in a small community of 300 plus people.That $9 million split down the middle in that little Town will go further than $9 mil in NY or SF. They set for life.
I am no smoker, but what’s with folks always reaching for a cigarette for almost anything? Close car crash, gotta light up! Go over Niagara Falls in a barrel & survive.. gotta have a cigarette.
they seem just as happy and contented as the winners of powerball and mega millions big jackpot winners are. they weren't afraid of revealing their identity.
I'm glad they're not afraid of publicity.
If they grew up in that little Town, chances are everyone knows everyone.What's there to be afraid of? The Town folks are their Posse! You ride in there looking to cause trouble..
I will not argue the numbers. Any way you look at it the taxes are immoral.
Lottery winners must look ahead toward retirement. There is no loan or guarantee for retirement. A winner does not want to go back into the workforce.
It is tacky to beg a lottery winner for some of the retirement funds that were won.
The green-eyed monster Jealousy, Envy, Resentment, Killjoy raises its head. Jerk.
Being lazy with 5" of beautiful snow here. This game replaced Hot Lotto; does that mean it is a RNG game?
No, it's a traditional ball drawing.
It is naive to assume if you live in a small town, everyone will be supportive of a big winner. Jealousy and resentment is not limited to the big cities. Lol
Wasn't there a girl who had a small child a few years ago from a small mid west town that won between $1-5 million and started getting harassed by people and had a stalker ? She then moved out to OR or WA and worked in a zoo. I know I am not properly recalling the story 100%
they penalize you for taking a cash option, what a shame
There is no penalty for taking the cash option. The cash option is the amount that would be used to buy the annuity to pay out over however many years it's purchased for. If a person chooses the annuity, then he/she would receive the advertised jackpot over the life of that annuity. If a person chooses the cash option, he/she receives the cash amount up front that would have purchased the annuity. It's really not that hard.
l was being humorous, obviously you didn’t get it.
Not sure who you are replying to because you didn't checkmark the quoted text box......but....IF it was me, if you look closely you will see I was replying to gunjack.
I don't recall that winner. Googled it and could not find anything.
CDanaT is “ probably “ talking about jackpot winner Holly Lahti * and you welcome.
Minneso'ns won, Great... caught that crazy Leprechaun.
Now We can stop playing till it reaches $17,000,000 Cash Value.
Traditional ball is what the MUSL told us. But still no proof of any draw of this game. Seeing is believing Todd.
Found it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NzKTA3T8Zo
Watch it at around the 4 minute mark to observe her encounters
Congrats to the lucky Kujava family!
What is the purpose of Taxes?
https://www.shmoop.com/finance/taxes/purpose-of-taxes.html
Congrats to the Kujava Family on their recent Lottery Win!
Wed, Mar 14, 2018: 08-21-38-50-51 Star Ball: 04 All Star Bonus: 2
Great job cdana. She is vaguely familiar now.
Thank You Raven62 for posting that financial website. I read it all and watched the video at the end. I will be a proud tax-payer when I become a wealthy jackpot winner. In the meantime, I will be grateful for the past winners who have supported the Government.
Stacey Lowry wants safety for her family. Why is she doing The Lottery Changed My Life?
I hope she accomplishes in Portland, Oregon what she wants. Security and anonymity.
She is doing the “ Lottery changed my life “ because she can Music.It’s got nothing to do with anonymity or security, when you telling folks about your new home, your various toy cabinets etc. It’s a ruse, just showing off. ‘‘Tis one of the reasons l personally do not watch those shows.
It’s no different than getting a new tattoo, and wanting the entire world to see it-why? I recall a neighbor who has since moved on, always washing his Ford truck on the street without a shirt on, why? So that we could all see this massive eagle on his back going from one shoulder to the other. Who cares! Does this person think thieves,won’t recognize her, and her going on about her “ toy investments?”
I wish she would take a class on "art" collecting and art appreciation. I think 99% of her Disney collection was made for the "collectors" market and has limited resale value, if any. Kind of like the Franklin Mint Collectibles...pretty but value will not ever go up and millions were made. The fact that one Disney piece was limited to 150 pieces is meaningless if it seen as worthless.
Buy some Charlie Harper paintings, Newcomb pottery, the old style Tiffany vases..not the new ones, etc.
I did notice her Gucci shoes she was wearing. Good taste there.
I think she went on the show to get back at some former friends...look at me now.