Immigrant battling cancer wins $6.6 billion in lottery in the US
The winner said he wrote the game numbers on a piece of paper and put it under his pillow. Before going to sleep, he prayed to win
The Lottery House
In early April, 46-year-old Cheng Saephan, an immigrant from Laos, won a fortune of $1.3 billion (approximately R$ 6.6 billion) in the Oregon lottery in the United States. He claimed the prize on Monday (04/29).
Cheng, who has been living in the US since 1994 and has been a resident of Portland for 30 years, has been fighting cancer since 2016 and underwent his last chemotherapy session last week. Previously, he worked as a mechanic for an aerospace company.
At a press conference held at the Oregon Lottery headquarters, Cheng expressed his gratitude for the luck of winning the lottery, emphasizing that he now has the opportunity to take care of his family and his health. He shared that he is splitting half of the money with his wife, 37-year-old Duanpen, and the rest will go to a friend, 55-year-old Laiza Chao, who contributed $100 (about R$ 510) to buy a series of lottery tickets.
Opting to receive the prize in a single payment instead of over 30 years, Cheng and his wife are now the happy owners of $422 million (R$ 2.16 billion) after federal and state taxes. They have two young children.
Cheng reflected on how to spend all that money and how much time he has left. He shared that in the weeks leading up to the draw, he wrote the game numbers on a piece of paper and slept with it under his pillow, praying to win and ensure the well-being of his family before he leaves.
According to the Oregon Lottery, the $1.3 billion prize is the eighth largest in the history of all US lottery games. The largest prize ever recorded in US lottery history was $2.04 billion (R$ 10.44 billion), awarded in California in 2022.
Cheng Saephan and Laiza Chao's winning ticket was purchased in early April at a convenience store in Portland, ending a streak of over three months without winners.
The Oregon Lottery explained that a security and screening process was necessary before disclosing the identity of the person who claimed the prize. According to state law, lottery winners cannot remain anonymous, with few exceptions. They have one year to claim the main prize after the draw.