49-year-old plans to take wife to Hawaii — and hire financial adviser
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — For 20 years, Clyde Persley of Santa Cruz worked more than 60 hours a week making candy, driving limousines and waiting by the phone to pick up extra hours at a restaurant. He bought lottery tickets and hoped for his big break.
And he got it.
Persley, 49, turned in his winning SuperLotto Plus ticket to the California Lottery office Tuesday night, said California Lottery spokeswoman Cathy Doyle Johnston, and will receive a check for about $16 million in four to six weeks.
"I'm so happy for my family," said Persley, who is married with a 4-year-old daughter. "We gotta' get the money first, but we are definitely not going to waste it."
Persley's big plans? To sit on it.
"The next step is to get financial advisers," he said Wednesday outside his apartment building off Soquel Drive near Dominican Hospital. "But I have to take my wife to Hawaii. She really wants that."
Persley is a Santa Cruzan through and through. He was born in Santa Cruz and he graduated from Santa Cruz High School in 1977.
Twice a week, Persley would stop in at the Santa Cruz Market, the store that will get $140,000 for selling the winning ticket, to play the lottery.
"I always imagined I would walk into the store and find out that I won," he said.
And that's what happened Monday.
When he went into the market to buy lotto tickets, Bankook Choi, the store owner, told him the store had won and to check his tickets. Persley went to visit his wife, Pauline, at work and checked the numbers in the parking lot. All six numbers matched.
"I felt calm, and just so happy," he said. "I told my wife and she started screaming and jumping up and down."
Persley has been working three jobs for the past six years to support his family. He worked part time as a limousine driver and on-call at El Palomar restaurant, but he worked full time for Santa Cruz Nutritionals, formerly Harmony Foods, operating candy-making machines.
Although he no longer has to work, Persley finds it hard to think about leaving his job.
"I really appreciate my life with Harmony Foods," he said of his 26-year stint there. "I can't say enough how much my work has meant to me."
While there are no plans for penthouses or private jets just yet, Persley does see relaxation and family time in his future.
"People think we are going to jump up and start spending all our money," he said. "But that's just not the way this works."
His priorities include a college fund for his daughter, support for his mother and his father-in-law and traveling.
"I want to live a quiet life without stress," Persley said. "There is not much more you could ask for."
Congrats to him and his family!
thats awesome!!!!!
Congrats,Clyde!
Good luck living a quiet life with no stress.
Awesome, congratulations to him and his family!!!
I saw this on CNN and was so happy for the man. I hope the money will bring him and his people tonnes of joy.
<snip> why is he only getting 16 million from a reported 49 million dollar jackpot? can anyone explain this to me? i dont mean to make it sound like 16 million is peanuts but i would expect to get at least half of a reported 49 million dollar jackpot.
Obviously you haven't read anything about how lottery jackpots are paid and the options winners have. First the jackpot was the amount its cash value would pay over 25yrs or longer if invested in an annuity. The winner has the option of taking his money that way or taking its cash value. If he choose the latter then local, state and federal taxes will be withheld and he will receive a check for what's left.
Talking about "JUST IN TIME RESCUE"..
When i was 18 i used to work 5 days a week at a McDonalds and i felt miserable...Now imagine 3 jobs...If there are people who should win the Jackpot more than otheres are people that work 3 jobs...
Congrats to him.
Great story. Congrats to him and his family.
It is always great when someone who really needs the money wins it. Congrats!
It's funny that you chose the name "cursed", and then the very first word of the first post you make here is a curse.
The payout is lowered for two reasons: "cash option" and "taxes".
Isn't everyone always saying the rich don't get taxed enough? Well, I would say a lottery winner qualifies as "rich".
If you want lottery winners to keep more of their jackpots, simply support efforts to lower taxes all-around. Then they'll keep more of it.
It's nice to hear success stories like that.
Good for them :)
Smart man. Wtg
I love this story!
Congrats to the Persley family!
Unfortunately with advertising he's looking for someone he's going to be swamped with "financial planners" that are nothing but cons and other rip off artist. Even better, he also could have remained anonymous..... Goodluck to him though.
EDIT: Though I thought CA allowed anonymity. They do let you skip the media stuff though and I know there's ways around the whole getting your name released thing since people have before.
yeah its obvious that i havent read anything abouy how jackpots are paid out. that's why i asked the question. thank you for stating the obvious to everyone.
i only used the word d a m n. lol
Here is a link to usamega.com. If you place your curser on the Current Jackpot amount at the top of the page, it will show you the annuity amount and cash value. Also down along the left side. If you click on Jackpot Analysis, it will give you a state by state breakdown after taxes. Hope this helps.
http://www.usamega.com/
LOL. Obviously, it wasn't obvious to you!!!
LOL. TRUE
THANK YOU
I cant wait til I hit the Jackpot! I'll be telling my story
So am I! I just love hearing stories such as this one. The man deserves the jackpot!
WOW! WTG!
I am next!!!!!!!!!!!
We are going to have to split it...because I was thinking I was next!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A working-three-job man won the lottery ticket. It's a sweet story. Congrats to his family.
I like his way expression, screaming and jumping up and down. I gotta look a wife like that.
Congratulations to his family and I know my luck is coming very soon and I will announce it to everyone @ LP
WOW..working 3 jobs just to make ends meet. A Wise Man once said "A faithful man will abound in blessings..." This is definitely proof that hard work can and will pay off!!!
Congrats to Mr. Persley and his family!