Powerball Winners Paul and Sue Rosenau from Minnesota are the latest Powerball success story with a healthy win of $180.1 million. Not only are they now in the same league as movie stars, they have also made history as the prize sum was the largest in Minnesota’s lottery history. That would be enough to make anyone’s head spin, but this lucky duo has their feet firmly on the ground “.
“We realize that money is probably not as important as friendship and helping others. And that’s what we hope to do with it,” Paul Rosenau said. The Powerball winning numbers for the draw held on May 3rd 2008 were: 2-28-36-42-46 plus the Powerball number 40.
The couple, both aged 54, discovered they were winners of the Powerball lottery Minesota, the night after the draw, while watching the evening news.
“We were just about to go to bed,” Paul recalled. But after recognising that the winning powerball numbers matched their single line quick-pick ticket, they took action. Paul – who confesses to having teased his wife in the past by pretending to be a powerball winner said: “I was standing at the top of the steps and I said, ‘Oh my gosh,’ not in those exact words, but pretty close. And she was sitting downstairs, she heard me say that. She said, ‘Oh, yeah, right,’ because I’ve done that before to see if I could get a rise out of her, if you know what I mean. I said, ‘No, I really think that we won.’ She said, ‘Yeah, right.’ The couple, who don’t have internet access at home, then drove to Sue’s workplace to use the computer to double check their ticket.
The lucky ticket was purchased from Hy-Vee Gas, located at 1930 Grant St. in Faribault. Hy-Vee Incorporated will also join in the good luck and will receive a $50,000 bonus. As for the Rosenaus’, they have opted to take the $88 million cash option (nearly $60 million after taxes). What they plan to do with their winnings is still an open question. Neither expects to leave their jobs – Paul, a heavy equipment operator and Sue, a project manager for an agricultural research institute – are aiming to carry on as before.
Their win was also tinged with some sadness too as it came five years to the day of the death of a beloved 2-year-old granddaughter, Makayla, who had Krabbe disease, a disorder of the nervous system. Mrs Rosenau said the family has been campaigning to try and get a Krabbe test incorporated into routine newborn screenings. Their winnings may go toward those efforts, but the Rosenau’s haven’t made any final decisions.
Mr Rosenau summed it all up by saying: “We don’t need a lot. We’ve got more than we need, we want to have a regular life.”
This is Minnesota’s 20th Powerball jackpot winner since Powerball began in 1992, and the first jackpot winner since November 2006.
