This as-told-to essay relies on a transcribed dialog with Timothy Schultz, who received the Powerball Lottery in 1999. The next has been edited for size and readability.
Just a few months earlier than I received the $28 million Powerball jackpot, I had a vivid dream that I might already received. It felt so actual that it satisfied me it was going to occur.
It was 1999, and I used to be a fuel station attendant learning part-time at a liberal arts college in Iowa. I lived in my dad and mom’ basement, making minimal wage.
I began taking part in the lottery a couple of times weekly, shopping for a single ticket. I visualized successful and instructed individuals about it. They mentioned, “Nicely if anybody’s going to win, you are going to win.”
Then I did.
After I received, I used to be strolling on cloud 9
I woke as much as my father banging on my bed room door on February 10, 1999, screaming that somebody received the Powerball lottery. He requested whether or not I bought a ticket. I instantly remembered telling a number of individuals I had the successful ticket the evening earlier than.
I used to be frantic, rummaging by means of papers, and finally discovered the ticket crumpled in a bit ball. After unraveling it, I ran upstairs to the kitchen and in contrast the numbers to these within the newspaper.
After they matched, it felt like I used to be nonetheless dreaming. My father hugged me, and we jumped up and down like youngsters in a sweet retailer.
I known as my mother, who initially thought I used to be joking. We additionally known as monetary advisors and attorneys. They mentioned to place the ticket someplace safe and arrange a time to redeem it on the lottery workplace; I felt like I used to be strolling on cloud 9.
A press convention introduced I had received the $28 million Powerball lottery. After that, our telephone was inundated with messages. Individuals I knew congratulated me, however there have been stacks of letters from strangers, a few of whom requested for cash.
On the press convention itself, I felt like a deer in headlights. It was exhilarating and terrifying. I might by no means been the focal point for thousands and thousands of individuals. Nonetheless, a part of me loved it. I feel it helped encourage my pursuit of broadcast information and podcasting.
I might all the time imagined what I might do if I ever received: repay debt and put myself by means of school, however I might by no means considered how it will change my life.
From fuel attendant to millionaire
Instantly, I might gone from a fuel station attendant to retired at 21. I felt like I used to be holding a magic wand. Every part was doable, however I additionally wished to be financially accountable.
Earlier than turning within the ticket, I consulted with wealth professionals to know how a lot I might afford to spend and provides to others. I helped many individuals but additionally wished to stay inside my means.
Earlier than I obtained the cash, I arrange a plan with advisors to speculate it. We invested conservatively so the returns might final me over a lifetime.
However as a 21-year-old, the very first thing I purchased was the most recent online game system. A luxurious I could not afford earlier than successful.
I principally invested in shares, bonds, and mutual funds with my cash. I helped my household, purchased autos, and traveled. I went again to school to review movie and broadcast journalism, a dream come true.
The way it impacted my relationships
I used to be a struggling school scholar, similar to my friends, after which I grew to become an outlier: the wealthy child. On the time, I felt obligated to pay for mates’ holidays, meals, or something we did collectively.
Most individuals did not ask for cash, however I felt that I might and, maybe morally, ought to pay for them as a result of I had received the lottery.
Individuals have been supportive, however some handled me in another way. Some tried to get nearer to me, which made me really feel like a strolling, speaking ATM. I always feared individuals did not wish to be mates with me for the correct causes. When individuals did not change how they behaved round me, I knew I might belief them. I additionally had household and mates who appeared involved about how wealth would influence me, which additional cemented my belief.
Whenever you win the lottery, individuals do not view the cash as one thing you’ve got earned. A member of the family explicitly instructed me I obtained one thing for nothing by successful the lottery and may hold giving them and others cash.
I needed to be taught to say no to remain fisicially accountable. Once I put my foot down, it broken my relationships with some relations who I beloved very a lot.
After successful, I initially felt remoted and lonely. I had a very onerous time opening as much as new individuals. My courting life was higher earlier than I received the lottery. I moved to a special home in a brand new state as a result of so many individuals knew my story, and I felt uncomfortable.
It was a steep studying curve navigating the social side of successful the lottery.
How I spent the cash
Throughout the first 12 months of successful, for enjoyable, my mates and I threw a dart at a map and mentioned we might go wherever the dart landed. It landed in the midst of Canada, so we went on an outside journey journey north.
I retired instantaneously, however I’ve saved engaged on ardour initiatives.
After successful the lottery, I believed onerous about what makes me completely satisfied. Sitting on a seaside consuming margaritas is enjoyable, however the novelty wears off.
I wanted a cause to get up within the morning and a purpose to realize. That’s the reason I went again to school to earn a level, work on a number of productions, and pursue my need to entertain and encourage individuals positively; I adore it, and it drives me.
I produced a documentary and a few animations, helped with different individuals’s unbiased movies, and created a movie pageant. I additionally began my “Lottery, Desires and Fortune” podcast the place I interview different main prize and lottery winners. It’s extremely cathartic for me to fulfill and interview individuals and perceive their lottery journeys.
Nowadays, I spend most of my free time engaged on my podcast and YouTube channel or exercising. I am usually working, lifting weights, or coaching if I am not producing a video. YouTube brings in some cash, however I can stay off my investments.
Reflecting on his win
Individuals ask on a regular basis, “Does cash purchase happiness?” Cash would not essentially change who you might be. It will probably have an effect on happiness by shopping for time, offering alternatives, and assuaging stress about debt. But it surely would not change who you might be. Some very rich persons are very sad as nicely.
I want I had invested in bitcoin a number of years in the past, however that is my solely remorse about how I’ve spent the winnings. Shortly after successful, I bought new autos and different massive purchases.
Nowadays, I do not purchase something too loopy. Like many individuals, I stay inside a funds. If you happen to win a whole lot of thousands and thousands, your funds may very well be fairly completely different. It is all relative. I’m simply grateful for what I obtained.
At 21, I had no concept what to do with that form of cash and was fortunate I sought skilled steerage. I did not wish to grow to be a statistic of lottery winners going broke inside a number of years.
Whereas I did not have a alternative in 1999 whether or not I wished to assert the prize publicly, figuring out the place I’m now, I would not do it in another way. I’ve spoken to media shops and might speak about my experiences publicly.
But when I have been 21 now and had the choice, I’d think about claiming the prize anonymously, particularly if it was a big prize. You by no means know what influence that will have in your life.
Whenever you win the lottery, your complete world immediately turns the other way up. I encourage individuals to play responsibly; it solely takes one ticket for an opportunity, however something is feasible.
