Three winners of the $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot were revealed Monday by the Oregon Lottery, including Laos born-immigrant Cheng Saephan, who has been battling cancer for eight years.
In a press conference held at the Oregon Lottery Headquarters in Salem, Oregon, 46-year-old Saephan, his wife Duanpen Saephan, 37, and friend Laiza Chao, 55, were all announced as the winners of the massive lottery after pulling a lucky ticket earlier this month. During the ceremony, Saephan started by thanking God and explaining his background as an immigrant. (RELATED: Ticket Sold In California Wins Powerball Lottery’s Jackpot Prize)
“I was born in Laos in 1977. I moved to Thailand in 1987 and stayed in Thailand for six years. I came to America in 1994 and graduated from high school in 1996. I [have been] working since then till 2016, [when] I found out I have cancer. So since 2016, I’ve been battling with cancer for eight years now. Currently, I [am] still having chemotherapy, I just had one last Monday and I’m still fighting,” Saephan stated. “I’m thankful for the lottery and how I have been blessed with this prize. I will be able to provide for my family and my health.”
Saephan, who said he regularly played the lottery along with his wife and Chao, bought 20 Powerball tickets.
“I call Laiza as she’s driving to work, I told her you don’t have to go to work now; we won the lottery; we won the jackpot!” the 46-year-old said.
The winning ticket was sold on April 6 at the the Plaid Pantry convenience store in Portland, Oregon, matching all winning numbers 22, 27, 44, 52 and 69, with a Powerball of 9, according to ABC 7 Chicago. The Oregon Lottery stated the $1.326 billion Powerball ticket was the fourth-largest Powerball jackpot and eighth-largest of the country’s jackpot games.
Saephan said his first expenditures with the winnings will be a new home for him and his family and a “good doctor” as he continues his battle against cancer. Officials stated that Saephan decided to take the winnings as a lump sum, $422 million after taxes, according to CBS News.