Man wins $200,000 lottery prize while on the way to last round of chemo
A North Carolina man was on the way to his last round of chemotherapy treatment on Tuesday when he said he stopped for a scratch-off lottery ticket on the way to the hospital. After scratching it off, he realized he had even more to celebrate that day — $200,000 more to be exact.
Ronnie Foster, a retired Department of Transportation employee, purchased a $1 scratch-off ticket at a convenience store in Beulaville, North Carolina last week. He told CBS News he regularly buys the $1 or $2 tickets, but when he won $5, he decided to use his winnings to go big and pick up a $5 scratcher. Then, "last minute," he decided to buy two of them.
The second $5 ticket made him $200,000 richer.
"I saw all those zeroes and I froze," Foster said, according a North Carolina Education Lottery press release. "I didn't believe it until I gave it to the clerk at the counter to scan. When it showed, 'Go to lottery headquarters,' I started shaking. I couldn't believe it."
Foster told CBS News he learned he had colon cancer in January, underwent surgery in February and has been getting chemotherapy treatments since April. He wasn't sure if the win was a sign, telling CBS News that he "just might have been at the right place at the right time."
The winner claimed his prize on Friday at lottery headquarters and after state and federal tax withholdings, Foster was able to take home $141,501 total, according to the release. He said he will put the money toward his medical bills and his savings, but also plans to buy a new lawnmower and possibly a new car.
"I have good insurance," Foster said, according to the release. "But there is still some cost. This will make it a whole lot easier."
Foster won his fortune by scratching off a "Win it All" ticket, which was launched in December 2018, was slotted to end in November, according to the release. He took home the final top prize.