Charlie Saephan, a 46-year-old immigrant from Laos living in Portland, Oregon, recently won a $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot. Saephan, who has been battling cancer for eight years and underwent chemotherapy treatment just last week, plans to split the prize evenly with his wife and a friend who contributed $100 to buy a batch of tickets. After taxes, they will be taking a lump sum payment of $422 million. Saephan expressed his gratitude for the win, stating that he will now be able to provide for his family and his health, including finding a good doctor for himself.
Saephan, who has two young children, shared that as a cancer patient, he had concerns about how he would spend the money and how long he would live. The winning ticket was purchased at a Plaid Pantry convenience store in Portland, which ended a three-month winless streak for the state. Saephan, who immigrated to the U.S. in 1994 after moving from Laos to Thailand, is part of the Iu Mien ethnic group, which has a significant community along the West Coast, including Portland. Many Iu Mien families fled to Thailand after assisting American forces during the Vietnam War.
Saephan, who graduated from high school in 1996, has been living in Portland for 30 years and has worked as a machinist for an aerospace company. In the weeks leading up to the draw, he wrote out numbers on a piece of paper and slept with it under his pillow, praying for a win that would allow him to provide for his family before his own passing. Under Oregon law, lottery winners are not allowed to remain anonymous, and they have a year to claim their prizes. The jackpot had a cash value of $621 million before taxes.
The $1.3 billion prize won by Saephan is the fourth-largest Powerball jackpot in history and the eighth-largest among U.S. jackpot games. It is subject to federal and Oregon state taxes. The biggest U.S. lottery jackpot ever won was $2.04 billion in California in 2022. Saephan expressed gratitude for the win, stating that it will help secure his family’s future and provide for his ongoing medical needs. The Oregon Lottery conducted a security and vetting process before announcing his identity as the winner.
Overall, the winning of the $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot by Charlie Saephan, a cancer patient and immigrant from Laos, has brought a sense of relief and hope for him and his family. Despite his health challenges, Saephan is grateful for the opportunity to provide for his loved ones and ensure his own medical care. His story serves as an inspiration, highlighting the transformative impact that a lottery win can have on an individual’s life, especially in the face of adversity.
