David Sneath has worked at a Ford Motor Co. parts warehouse for 34 years, but it didn't take him any time at all to walk out once he discovered he had won a $136 million Mega Millions jackpot.
"I yelled to the boss, 'I'm out of here,'" Sneath said Thursday after going to state lottery headquarters in downtown Lansing to pick up his first $1 million check.
Sneath, of Livonia in suburban Detroit, said the reality of his win has yet to sink in.
"I still haven't touched base with Earth yet," he said. When he saw in a newspaper that he had a winning ticket, "my whole body went numb."
Sneath plans to buy a cottage on Mullett Lake in northern Michigan and maybe a new fishing boat or two to help him land the walleye he loves to catch. He's tired of misplacing his glasses and may get laser surgery to correct his vision. And he'll probably move out of his three-bedroom, two-bath ranch home, although he plans to stay in Michigan.
He's even considering a return to Eastern Michigan University to finish his bachelor's degree. He's eight credits shy of a major in warehousing and a minor in international marketing.
Sneath turned 60 on Tuesday, the day he won the jackpot. Friends and relatives at first thought it was an April Fool's joke.
"I called my sister; she didn't believe me. I called my daughter; she thought I was nuts," said Sneath, who said he made his first call to his ex-wife, Deborah.
Deborah, whom he called "my significant ex," attended the Thursday news conference where Sneath was presented with a large replica of a $136 million check. His daughter was there with her daughter, as was his son, who had bought the winning ticket on his father's behalf during trip to a gas station to get cigarettes.
Sneath plans to take a lump payment worth $84.3 million, or $59.6 million after taxes. On Thursday, he got the first $1 million; he'll get the remainder in a second payment. At the warehouse, he made $60,000 to $70,000 a year.
A self-described "character," Sneath generally kicked in $6 a week with four co-workers at his job in Brownstown to buy lottery tickets, spending half the money on tickets for Tuesday's draw and half for Friday's.
This time, his son bought him $15 worth of tickets, picking numbers Sneath suggested. The winning combination — 4, 17, 26, 46 and 56, plus 25 for the Mega Ball — were numbers Sneath once got as a random pick and continues to play.
But his four co-workers didn't entirely lose out. He plans to give them $1 million each out of his winnings.
Despite his longtime association with Ford, he said he won't be using any of the money to buy one of his former employer's vehicles.
"I worked for Ford Motor Co.," he said. "I won't be buying a Ford product."
Sneath's $136 million jackpot may seem like a lot, but it doesn't even come close to the record. The largest Mega Millions jackpot was $390 million in March last year, claimed by two winners in Georgia and New Jersey.
Mega Millions is a multistate lottery game offered in Michigan, California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas, Virginia and Washington state. Jackpots start at a guaranteed $12 million and grow when no one wins the jackpot.
Thanks to BobP for the tip
WTG! I wish he was my friend too! LOL
That will definitely provide a job for someone who desperately needs one, won't it? Good luck to him with his new found fortune!
I wish I was "he" too!
Actually he is going to have "friends" coming out of the woodwork!
hahah that's so awesome "I won't be buying a foreign car". Go Ford!
I'm always happy for the winner when I read these stories. It sounds as if he has a close family and good friends, but he was in a pool at work, so this story might not be over.
Just my 2 cents here. Since this is MI, the state with the highest unemployment rate in the country, I'm happy he left right away. Maybe this opened up a job for someone else, maybe not. However, I don't have much respect for someone who works 34 years for a company, makes an excellent salary & benefits, and then knocks the company to the press. Sorry, that's just the way I am.
How generous and honorable of him to give the other four players $1M each!! Talk about giving.....!!! God bless him.
player345
Congrats to him! I hope he doesn't have a bunch of people coming out of the woodwork claiming that he would give them money also. He seems like a very giving a generous man though.
That's very generous of him, but his friends will probably have to pay taxes on the 1 million. I would have done the same thing had I won such a large amount and that is the sign of a true friend to help the people who plays with him regularly.
He will have to pay the tax on any gift over $12,000.
They can afford it....He stole my idea about getting a place up in the UP. Saw a great one on the road between Marquette and Houghton, right on Lake Superior. I don't hunt or fish, but like to massive snow and lifestyle up there.On the other side, I'd certainly not show up with my ex. Unless she agreed to be shot out of a cannon or something at Lottery HQ.
am sure he'll find plenty of new friends comming out of yonder pile
$1 sez he'll become the other story of how not to claim a winning ticket
I can tell you right now, my "significant-ex" would not get a phone call if I won.
Well, congrats to him. Nice to see someone from the home state winning such a big payoff. Wish it was me though
I have family members that work in the auto industry back home (and for Ford), and I'd never buy a Ford, either.
former neighbor of mine used to work @ local ford dealer and
up till fairly recent he was the tie die in the wool ford nut ...
used to give me a hard time about a chevy I had @ the time
personally after a chitty exsperience I had with an oldsmobile and
related BC dealership ....
I still swear to this day I'd never touch another GM product
For a parts manager, he is not too swift. When is the last time any one saw a part on a so called American car with a tag saying "Made in America"? Most all parts come from other country's. Unless Mexico and China took over America while I was sleeping! That is why the union leadership dropped the "Buy America" campaign. Is he unaware of how many automobiles the Ford Corporation produces in other country's? D-U-H ! Remember the "Ford, Quality Job 1" push made by Ford? Neither does any one else!
It doesn matter if he worked for ford or any other auto maker, he is retiring with a pocket full of change and well wishes from many! This is one of the rare times that I support someone up and quitting their job right after a win. So glad he is still keeping his focus on education . His generosity is remarkable.
The ex thing threw me for a loop. They are an EX for a reason. Yet I gotta say, My ex and I are better off in our life choices now then when we were married.
Congrats to this fella! May he enjoy his fishing!
nice....job....my turn next
I don't blame that lottery winner: he took the words right out of my mouth; as I, too, will echo his parting words, "I'm out of here!"
Congratulation to Mr. Sneath.
Silly Floridians, MM are not for you!! (Unless you drive to the Georgia border at the El-Cheapo Gas station).
Hearsetrax -I guess it depends on your personal auto experience and how long you hang onto a car. The best car I ever owned was an Oldsmobile. I hope my Camry lasts as long. Remember those Dodge Darts in the 60s & 70s? You couldn't kill 'em.
SmoothJuice - Used to think about driving to GA for a MM ticket, but at $3.39 a gallon it would cost me $100 bucks for 1 ticket!
Just want to clarify... I made an earlier comment on this thread which sounded negative. The only reason I said it was wrong to knock Ford was because (a) he made $70K working in a warehouse when many people in this country get half for the same job, if they're lucky enough to have one (b) he wouldn't have stayed 34 years if it was a lousy place to work (c) he's probably going to get a very nice pension & lifetime benefits from the company (d) knocking your employer only hurts the people who still have to get up in the morning and work their fingers to the bone
Still, I hope he has a happy & healthy life and is as generous as he promises to be. Sometimes people say a lot of things in the heat of the moment.
I agree with justxploring in regards to the Ford comment. But also want to add this -
I like when people who win like this leave there current job. This then opens the position for someone else who might need the job or could move from a 40k job to the winners 60k job. This helps the economy by creating one more job! So for the people that win this kind of money and STAY in there jobs are not really helping create jobs. And jobs are what fuel our economy.
For a $135m win, I'd say I'm outa here too! At $20m is when I stop working for pay, and what work I will be doing won't be at the current location. (I remember reading about a woman who won $70m and said she would still keep working at her same job. Wonder how that all worked out?)
OTOH, being in Michigan myself why would anyone want to continue to live here year around? Summers in Traverse City, maybe. And why waste it on Mullet Lake when you can have the crystal blue waters of Torch Lake? I'd be tempted to buy the place next door to my "significant ex's" place on Lake Missaukee and junk it up. (lol) He certainly won't be on my list of those to inform of my good fortune much less take him to the claiming. Sheesh. Good for this guy that he has that relationship.
"This time, his son bought him $15 worth of tickets, picking numbers Sneath suggested. The winning combination — 4, 17, 26, 46 and 56, plus 25 for the Mega Ball — were numbers Sneath once got as a random pick and continues to play."
.....His son brought the tickets for him on his birthday..... If the people at work want to fight this the burden of proof is on them as his son was not in the pool.
This is one of the best lotto stories. God Bless him!
The news reported that they had quoted him wrong....he did not slam Ford...the report was incorrect.
I am surprised he still want to live in Michigan.
Ditto...
Michigan is a beautiful place to live (well, parts of it), if you're not part of the economic downturn. If I could live in Michigan during the summer and California the rest of the year, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
Good of him to leave so that someone else could get his job! Congrats!
And he'll probably move out of his three-bedroom, two-bath ranch home
At the warehouse, he made $60,000 to $70,000 a year.
I just loooove it when someone that needs it so badly wins...I need to win the lottery just to move INTO a 3 bedroom 2 bath home. *sigh* I
congrat'ssssssssss.........BUTT
please don't let them STEAL your VOTE????????????.......YET!!!!
MOVE to FL>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>after election!
LOL
PSYKOMO
$135 million...uhhhh
I wish it was me.
Buy some t-bone steaks and potatoes.
What a huge blessing to win all that money!!!
Congrats to him and his family. I hope that he makes smart choices with the winnings.