Winning lottery jackpot is lucky for some, tragic for others

Jul 31, 2022, 6:30 AM | Updated: 6:33 am

Dave and Erica Harrig stayed true to their values when they won a lottery jackpot of more than $61 million in 2013. It made all the difference.

The couple from Gretna, Nebraska, a community on the outskirts of Omaha where Dave Harrig now is a volunteer firefighter, allowed themselves to buy a new home, some vintage automobiles and a few ocean cruises after they both quit their jobs.

But nine years later, they still live much as they always did, remaining in their community, keeping up with church, family and friends, and teaching their children to work hard to make a living despite any financial windfall that might come their way.

Many other winners haven’t been as lucky, suffering personal setbacks and lawsuits or becoming the victims of scams. The latest winner of a big jackpot came Friday, when a single ticket sold in Illinois matched the numbers for a $1.337 billion Mega Millions prize. Illinois is among the states where winners of more than $250,000 can choose to not reveal their names.

Dave Harrig, an Air Force veteran who worked in aircraft maintenance, says keeping things simple probably saved him and his family from the kind of hassles and tragedies that have befallen other big winners.

Almost overnight, the Harrig family mailbox was filled with letters full of hard luck stories: sick children, lost jobs, burned out homes.

Dave Harrig said they ignored them all and focused on their own family and charities.

They didn’t even touch the principal on their winnings until just a few years ago, when they tapped into it to fund a new museum of firefighting in Gretna that will open soon.

“We have nicer things, a bigger house, and more than we ever had in the past. But we are the same, and my wife and I keep each other in check,” Dave Harrig said, encouraging future lottery winners to invest wisely, choose a national investment adviser rather than a local one, and to avoid advisers who try to sell financial products.

They’ve ignored false rumors that have swirled about them, suggesting that his wife at one point ran off with a doctor and that he had a lawyer girlfriend. Their four children endured teasing at school.

“We’re still learning, but it has helped to stay working together as a team,” he said of himself and his wife.

He acknowledged the struggles of some past winners, saying the experience of winning a jackpot “can really accentuate your character and any addictions.”

The late Andrew Whittaker Jr., of West Virginia, suffered lawsuits and personal setbacks after he claimed a record $315 million Powerball jackpot on Christmas night in 2002.

At the time, it was the largest U.S. lottery jackpot won by a single ticket. People harassed him so much with requests for money he was quoted several times saying he wished he had torn up the ticket.

Before dying of natural causes in 2020 at age 72, he struggled with alcohol and gambling problems and had a series of personal tragedies, including the death of his granddaughter.

Winning the lottery brought other kinds of headaches for Manuel Franco, of West Allis, Wisconsin, who claimed a $768 million lottery jackpot in April 2019.

Then just 24, Franco excitedly held a news conference to discuss his win, but later reportedly went into hiding amid harassment by strangers and the news media.

The Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin began warning people in 2021 about messages from scammers who claimed to be the multimillion-dollar winner.

Using Franco’s name, the scammers sent text messages, social media messages, phone calls and emails phishing for personal information, telling recipients they had been chosen to receive money.

The BBB said scammers got more than $13,000 from people they tricked, including people in Alabama and Colorado.

Despite the problems encountered by the winners, lottery officials favor publicly identifying winners to instill public trust in the games.

That’s in large part because some past drawings have been rigged. Former Multi-State Lottery Association information security director Eddie Tipton pleaded guilty in 2017 to manipulating software so he could predict winning numbers on certain days of the year. He and his brother rigged jackpots in numerous states for a combined payout of some $24 million.

___

AP researcher Jennifer Farrar contributed to this report.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

FILE - Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer speaks inside the Recorders Office, Nov. 9, 2022, in...
Associated Press

Dominion conspiracies highlighted by Fox lawsuit have election officials concerned for safety

Maricopa County officials are bracing for what could happen when it comes time to replace its contract for voting equipment.
1 day ago
A building is damaged and trees are down after severe storm swept through Little Rock, Ark., Friday...
Associated Press

Tornado causes widespread damage to buildings, vehicles in Little Rock

A tornado raced through Little Rock and surrounding areas Friday, splintering homes, overturning vehicles and tossing trees.
1 day ago
FILE - Former President Donald Trump speaks with reporters while in flight on his plane after a cam...
Associated Press

Worries grow that Trump indictment could undermine public confidence in other investigations

Trump’s attempts to overturn those results amid false claims of widespread fraud are at the heart of two other ongoing investigations.
1 day ago
(Facebook Photo/Superior Court of Arizona in Yavapai County)...
Associated Press

Arizona judge has cases reassigned following DUI arrest

The Arizona Supreme Court has ruled that all cases currently assigned to a Yavapai County Superior Court judge recently arrested on suspicion of extreme DUI will be reassigned to other judges.
5 days ago
Haitian migrant Gerson Solay, 28, carries his daughter, Bianca, as he and his family cross into Can...
Associated Press

US, Canada to end loophole that allows asylum-seekers to move between countries

President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday announced a plan to close a loophole to an immigration agreement.
8 days ago
Expert skateboarder Di'Orr Greenwood, an artist born and raised in the Navajo Nation in Arizona and...
Associated Press

Indigenous skateboard art featured on new stamps unveiled at Phoenix skate park

The Postal Service unveiled the “Art of the Skateboard" stamps at a Phoenix skate park, featuring designs from Indigenous artists.
8 days ago

Sponsored Articles

...
Day & Night Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing

Company looking for oldest air conditioner and wants to reward homeowner with new one

Does your air conditioner make weird noises or a burning smell when it starts? If so, you may be due for an AC unit replacement.
(Pexels Photo)...

Sports gambling can be fun for adults, but it’s a dangerous game for children

While adults may find that sports gambling is a way to enhance the experience with more than just fandom on the line, it can be a dangerous proposition if children get involved in the activity.
...
Quantum Fiber

How high-speed fiber internet edges out cable for everyday use

In a world where technology drives so much of our daily lives, a lack of high-speed internet can be a major issue.
Winning lottery jackpot is lucky for some, tragic for others