SMALL TOWN FAMILY IN MISSOURI WINS NEARLY $300 MILLION IN LOTTERY,SPENDS THE MONEY IN THE MOST UNEXPECTED WAY

 

Winning a million dollar lottery sounds so surreal that we can only dream about it, it’s simply the best case scenario. You don’t have to break a sweat, just get lucky and boom! You are a multi-millionaire overnight and now all eyes are on you. Sounds like a sweet dream. However, this scenario that seems so unrealistic became the incredible reality for a family that lived in the small town of Missouri. Moreover, they had won themselves one of the biggest lotteries in the history of America. But what surprised everyone was their not to so conventional choices like buying a luxurious home or something like that. Read this serendipitous story to discover how the Hill family’s decisions took the city by storm and made them the center of attraction in the national news for months.

Small Missouri Family

For a married couple of Missouri, Camden Point who were in their early 50’s, their lives would take a 180 when they expected the least. Mark and Cindy Hill were moments away from a life-changing event and they didn’t see it coming until the very end. They had three biological children who were now grown-ups and had families of their own. They were now living with their 6-year-old daughter whom they had adopted from China. Tough times are an intrinsic part of life and the family had been hitting an all-time financial low lately. “The mills of the gods grind slowly” and the Hill family was soon to earn the millionaire status.

Tough Times

They were even struggling to fulfill their basic necessities, something which had never happened in the past. It seems that bad times arrive with full force as Mark’s son was now more than worried about his health condition. They were certainly hopeful that their bad days won’t last forever but they had never imagined something as grand as a lottery win would knock their door. It will be interesting to see how a massive lottery win can change someone’s life overnight…

Working Parents

The Hill parents and their 6-year-old daughter, Jaiden were a little down on their luck and it will be right to say that times were tough for them. Mark was just another worker at a factory that processed meat for deli foods and hot dogs. Moreover, he would also work as the sole supporter in the factory’s immediate household to make extra money as the family could no longer rely on one source of income. It was in 2010, when Cindy was laid off from her last job where she served as the office manager. Unfortunately, she had failed to secure a job ever since. On top of that, she started to feel the need of staying around home more than often to be there for her little girl. It seemed as if there were no opportunities for her and it was when Cindy took an absolutely wild chance.

The Powerball Lottery

The national Powerball lottery had broken all their previous records by meeting a record sum of $587 million. Back then in November 2012, this turned out to be the second highest lottery draw of all time and you can tell who went home with their bank account boasting of millions in dollars. The amount raised was believed to be practically unreal in a community as such and everyone was left astounded after the declaration. How much money would the Hills take home from this big number?

The Winning Amount

It didn’t matter that this jackpot seemed almost unattainable, as one of the lucky lottery ticket buyers would receive almost as much as half the money. There are thousands of people who buy lottery tickets and the Hill family wasn’t expecting much, and why would they? Their odds of winning the lottery were 1 to a million but the lady luck was on their side and they would soon get the happy news. However, the winning amount almost stopped their heartbeat for a while. How much do you think they won? A million dollar or 2 million dollars? Well, even 10 million dollars are nowhere near to the amount that Cindy Hill would receive as the winning prize.

A Quick Purchase

It was only a few weeks ago when Cindy Hill stopped at a local gas station, the place from she bought herself the winning lottery ticket. She had bought a total of five lottery tickets for her family that cost her only $10. While many players believe in lucky numbers and have superstitions of their own that influence their decision making in choosing in the numbers, Cindy didn’t do anything as such. Instead, she let the computer decide. She simply accepted the numbers that the lottery ticket generator offered her. She didn’t allow space for any personal preference and left it all to fate. This is just a quick reminder that the best decisions are often made by instincts, not thoughts.

Reality Check

It is not that Cindy Hill was really looking forward to this lottery event and you wouldn’t believe that she even left these tickets in her car overnight, on the very day of their purchase. When she arrived home, her daughter started asking Cindy about the lottery tickets. Cindy tried to give her daughter a quick reality check as she replied:” nobody ever really wins those things.” How ironic, right! She was absolutely unaware that the words she just used to calm her daughter would become ironic after the lottery win.

Daily Routine

The next day was turning out to be simply ordinary and there was nothing different in it as the family followed their daily routine. Cindy woke up early in the morning to drop her six-year-old daughter to the school but soon after she heard something that piqued her curiosity. The winning lottery ticket had been sold in their state, Missouri. She was intrigued by the fact, having said that, she wasn’t expecting anything grand. She headed straight towards the convenience store to take a look at the numbers which had been announced. To say the least, the tickets were worth only $10 and it wouldn’t be a big letdown if she lost which she expected the case to be.

An Astonishing Revelation

There was no way that Cindy Hill could sense it then, but as soon as she entered the shop, she was also entering into a new chapter of her life. After arriving at the convenience store, she saw something on the screen there that left her baffled. The numbers on the display board were identical to one of the five lottery tickets that she had bought earlier. By the looks of it, of thousands (if not millions) of people who participated in the Powerball lottery, this woman from a small town in Missouri was the lucky owner of the winning ticket.

Utter Disbelief

Surprisingly enough, Cindy was initially skeptical and her first reaction was rather interesting. She was suspicious and thought to herself that the number on the display board and the number on the lottery ticket she had bought – simply couldn’t be the same. Her heart was still racing when she picked out her cell phone to call her mother-in-law and her husband for the verification process. Cindy Hill couldn’t believe her eyes and she was trembling with excitement. Everything was perfect with her eyes and she wasn’t the only person to benefit from this lottery win.

Collateral Benefits

The employees at the convenience store were more than excited for Cindy. They were all smiling, as one of the draw’s condition stated that the store selling the winning ticket would also receive $50,000 as reward money. The store showcased the receipts that proved them as the righteous beneficiaries of this Powerball lottery draw. Suddenly, a small family that struggled to pay their bills were going to be millionaires in a matter of days. however, the family needed to be extra cautious considering the fact that an estimated 70% of the lottery winners end up going bankrupt only after a few years of winning their lottery money.

The Drawbacks Of Fame

Although, the Hills won the lottery and it was nothing but a stroke of luck, managing this kind of money was going to take real skills and a thought out plan. With the amount of fame and publicity which would soon follow, people with malicious intentions could come forward as well. There were many out there who wouldn’t think once before taking advantage of the newfound wealth which the Hill family had acquired lately. They had to be extra cautious and to say the least, they had to spend that money carefully.

Keeping It Simple

It is natural for anyone to act a little crazy after winning millions of dollars out of nowhere and even the Hill family had wild imaginations, but at first, their wishes were simple. Their little daughter wanted a pony, isn’t that cute? Out of all the things that one can buy with gazillion dollars, all she wanted was a pony. Kids are innocent creatures indeed. But don’t let this cute pony distract you from the fact that the Hill family was planning to initiate something big once they were done doing the basic things.

Travel Diaries

Who would continue their traditional nine-to-five job after winning millions of dollars? Doing a job to meet their ends was now a thing of past which meant that they had all the time in the world to travel, given that they already have more than enough money to do so. The Hill family’s ancestors were Irish and the family decided to visit their ancestral homeland in Ireland. After that, they also had plans to tour China, the country from where they adopted Jaiden. While traveling is something anyone with a big bank balance would love to do, the Hills were just warming up as the awe-inspiring events were about to follow. But wait! First things first…

First Things First

Their first objective was to take care of the family’s needs, both short-term as well as long-term. The Hill family started spending their money by first planning a visit to the beach, simply because their six-year-old had never visited one before. Moreover, they displayed their generous character when they decided to set up funds for the college education of their grandchildren, nieces, and nephew to make sure that they get the best in the future. Now, it was time to upgrade their old lifestyle with the money they had won in the lottery. Fasten your seat belt as Mark has a sports car fantasy too.

Sports Car Fantasy

Mark, much like any other individual had some dreams of his own and with the kind of money that he now had in possession would allow him to fulfill his lifelong dreams. Even though it was Mark’s lifelong dream to own a Camaro sports car that would replace his pickup truck but instead, he did something that left everyone in his awe. He replaced his old pick up truck by buying himself a new one. By the looks of it, the Hill family’s character wasn’t affected at all by the money they had won in the lottery and the entire town would get to witness the example that the Hills were about to set.

Surprising Behavior

What would you do if you were to win a million dollar lottery? Buy a mansion, a luxurious car, or go on a world tour or simply do them all, and why not? You only live once, right? Many people would immediately spend their money to buy something expensive and everyone expected Mark Hill to do the same but he was wired up a little different and people would soon acknowledge the principles that the Hill family followed. Where and how was he going to spend this money? The answer will certainly surprise you…

Moral Pillars

The Hill family made its first public appearance when they stepped forward to claim the winning prize of the Powerball lottery. The family was grateful to the universe and every factor that lead them to this point as they can now change their lives and of those around them with their newly won money. They didn’t want the lottery win to get to their heads and change them as a person. Their initial acts with the winning money could also benefit their community and Mark was never dicey about what to do, not even for a moment.

In The Middle Of Missouri

The Hill family lived in a community which was relatively small, however, it was still considered as a city. The city had a population of merely 500 people and it was situated in a rather rural area, which wasn’t far away from the border of Kansas. The town’s infrastructure was in absolute shambles and mostly boasted of old abandoned buildings. No one had seen it coming but the Hills were about to change the face of this town.

Helping The Helpers

Mark had a soft corner in his heart for a particular force in their community which had directly affected his family and their lives. The local firefighters had saved the life of Mark’s father as much as twice over the past few years. Mark couldn’t come up with an amount to repay the firefighters but he had another way to express his gratitude by helping these men who risk their own lives to save others. The fire chief of Camden Point was a man named Walter Stubbs happened to be Mark’s high school friend and the newly entitled millionaires were planning to give Walter a present.

Improving Conditions

Mark and Cindy were about to dedicate a part of their lottery winnings to the local fire station and they decided to meet their old friend, Walter Stubbs, for the same. When the two visited the Camden Point Fire Chief to express their wish of granting the fire station with some funds, Walter could hardly believe what he was hearing. The fire chief started thinking about how the struggles at the fire station could be overcome by bringing new equipment or an extra firetruck that would be of much help. However, he had no idea that Mark and Cindy had a different plan altogether.

Entirely Revamped

Walter had simply underestimated the couple’s plan for him and the fire station. The Hill family told the fire station chief that they were thinking of building him a new fire station as the present one was established in an inconvenient manner and was located far away from the major roads. The new fire station was supposed to stand next to the highway, to serve the community in a more effective and better way. Mark and Cindy were now big decision makers as they were able to shape the fate of their tiny community and it all happened overnight. However, establishing a new firehouse in their community was only the beginning.

Expanded Facilities

The new fire station would consist of a much bigger garage than the previous one that would allow space for more emergency vehicles. The place would also have a living space for firefighters to rest in after putting in a long shift. The community was filled with joy to have a firehouse so technically advanced that too in a community as small. The Hills wanted to repay these brave souls and to ensure that they got the best for the efforts they made and Mark and Cindy weren’t just done doing the good yet.

Of Jackpots And Cracker Jacks

Mark and Cindy had a lot of plans in their mind for the welfare of their little town and they wanted to transform it in such a way that would improve the quality of life of the local community residents. So they decided to promote and encourage one of America’s favorite pastime as they bought a new baseball field for the town. The park had a couple of structural issues and it was too close to the moving traffic, which ironically should have been the case with the firehouse. However, this grand gesture was just the beginning of the many kind acts of the Hill family.

Ground Up

The Hill family was quite thoughtful and they wished to repair the infrastructure of their town. They started to think of all the struggles the local citizens had to face and they started addressing every issue one by one. The drainage system wasn’t up to the mark and the Hills bought a piece of land required to set up a new sewage plant worth $50,000. Can you guess what they were about to do next?

Widening The Lens

The hills had changed the face of their town, reshaping the sewage system, the security system, and assuring that the next generation gets the best out of this small place. They still had to do way more to complete the “bigger picture” they had in their mind for this town. They still had a big reservoir of millions of dollars which they had barely used. Instead of spending their money on luxurious items, they would take inspiration from their past which would further expand their influence to places out of their community.

School Days

Mark and Cindy Hill, the two did their schooling from North Platte High School located in Dearborn, Missouri, which wasn’t far away from Camden Point. They had secured funds for their own family’s future education but they were willing to contribute and give it forward to those in need. They were gifted with the opportunity to influence the lives of hundreds and thousands around them and they were now going to step outside their town to reach out to more people. By now they had only served to short term and immediate needs, but they were thinking of a more long-term plan.

A Lesson In Giving

The Hills were now going to set up a scholarship program at North Platte High School. Their intention was to give talented students a platform to excel and aim for greater things in life, even those that are beyond the scope of their small rural community. The couple’s acts of kindness had taken the city by storm and the community soon became a cynosure in the national news. The readers wanted to know where these Powerball lottery winners would spend their money. How do you think the locals responded to these sudden changes in their small town?

A Mayor’s Gratitude

The Mayor of Camden Point, Missouri, Mr. Kevin Boydston was grateful that Mark and Cindy Hill influenced their community in so many ways. He evaluated the investment made by the Hill couple in the development of the town and drew a conclusion that if it wasn’t for Mark and Cindy, the drastic transformation in the town’s infrastructure would have taken at least a quarter of a century to accomplish. People were nothing but surprised after reading their story and realizing that how the Hills invested their money in their small town. Everyone who knew the Hills believed that the lottery had been awarded to the most appropriate couple and it certainly reflected in the way they used their money.

Final Calculations

Although they had won themselves half the money of the largest Powerball lotteries in American history, they weren’t going to get the exact amount in the end. How much did the get ultimately? As it transpired, the Hill family got to take home an estimated $136.5 million post-tax deductions. This was still a gigantic amount and the Hills could have gone on an entirely different path after completing their local social projects. With as much money in their bank account, they could now live anywhere in the world and in any kind of home they ever wished to have. But the Hill family decided to something with their house that left everyone dumbfounded.

Where The Heart Is

Despite earning themselves a millionaire status overnight, this family had not lost touch to their roots. They loved their home and no amount of money could change that. They stayed and continued to live in Camden Point, just like old days with the only difference that life is slightly more comfortable now. They were content living in their small town. Moreover, Mark still continues an old tradition that includes him going to coffee at a local store with his friends almost every morning. The fact that the odds of what followed after the lottery win were so low makes this story even more interesting.

One In A Million

The Powerball lottery is available in 44 states including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The numbers are drawn using two machines, the first one jumbles and mixes white balls and the second one does the same containing red balls. As per the statistics from January 2012, the odds of the Hill family winning the lottery were 1 in 175,223,510. Lucky much!

Rules And Regulations

The rules of the game are pretty simple. The announcer would draw five white colored balls from the first machine and one red colored ball from the second machine. If someone happens to win the Powerball lottery, they can receive their winning money in two different ways. The winner can either opt for receiving their money in two installments or by collecting their money in 30 annual installments. There have been other lottery winners before the Hills as well and some have been drastically different in claiming their winning amount.

Keep It Secret

The Hills were certainly baffled because of their newfound fame and they were growing tired of the events that followed. Mark himself admitted in an interview that he would now like to stop talking about the lottery win and just get back to his life and enjoy his time. One lottery winner from New Hampshire took Mark’s statement to the next level by what they did after winning the Powerball lottery. This Powerball jackpot winner refused to claim the winnings. Read further to find what exactly was going on.

Follow The Rules

There are certain rules and regulations that need to be followed in the Powerball lottery draw and the lottery in New Hampshire was no exception to it. The winning Powerball lottery ticket must be signed by the owner with their name and address mentioned on the back of the ticket which is an essential element in claiming the winning prize. One woman from Hampshire who happened to be the lottery winner took matters into the courtroom and insisted that she had the right to claim those $560 million lotteries quietly and that’s what happened. What would you have done though?

What If?

Remember how Cindy just left those lottery tickets in her car overnight that won her over $130 million. Never in her wildest dream had she ever imagined that spending $10 on those lottery tickets would change her life forever and end up making her a millionaire. “If only I had known what the future holds, I would have never left those tickets in my car like they were nothing where they could have been easily snatched,” said Cindy.

Powering The Powerball

Winning the Powerball lottery is a game of luck and is also a rare event and most of the times managing the money and the consequences that comes with winning such an amount might not seem all clear. To begin with, one must first protect the ticket to further claim it as their own. The ticket should be signed and never make the stupid mistake to misplace it. In the end, don’t forget to pay the taxes on the incredible amount of winning money.