In this Powerball winner story, a bus driver hits the jackpot and buys her first home and a few horses.
We often share some of the heartwarming stories of Powerball winners past. There’s something magical about hearing about those rags to riches tales. And this one particular story will likely strike a chord with you, too.
A bus driver in Raleigh, North Carolina, was living her best yet mediocre life when a Powerball ticket changed everything. And in true winning story fashion, she set out to make all her dreams come true.
A Good Life with a Few Things Missing
Laura Medlin, officially of Concord, had been renting for almost all of her life. She had two daughters to support as a single mom, so finances were often a challenge. She primarily worked as a bus driver, loving the opportunity to drive with Cabarrus County schools for kids with special needs. But she also worked as many as three jobs to make ends meet. But she always had a dream of owning her own home. And having grown up with horses, her dream included having horses again so she could teach her daughters about her equine passion.
The Powerball Ticket That Changed Her Life
It was an average Saturday when Laura Medlin stopped into her local Quik Trip and purchased a three-dollar Power Play Powerball ticket. She went back in the next day to check her ticket, not realizing that she had actually managed to match five white balls. She nearly passed out in disbelief when the clerk scanned her ticket. Her matching numbers earned her the $1 million prize. But because she had also played the 2X multiplier, she doubled her winnings instantly.
What to Do with $2 Million?
Medlin told reporters, “I feel like I’m in a dream.” She claimed her prize money at the Powerball Headquarters in Raleigh. And after federal and state withholdings, she became $1,410,021 richer. Medlin didn’t waste any time with her next step. It was time to make her dream come true. Her first order of business was to become a homeowner. She also planned to go back to school to obtain her GED. And she told the media she had no intentions of giving up her beloved bus driving job.
A Return to Her Passion for Horses
Medlin said she hadn’t had horses since she was 16, and she missed the lifestyle. There is something enriching about the horse ownership experience. Now, with her newfound wealth, Medlin was eager to become a horse owner once again. She posted on her social media about her excitement to introduce horses to her two daughters. “I want my girls to know what it’s like to have a horse and to experience the bond that comes,” she tweeted. Along with those horses, of course, she would need a big pickup truck and trailer, too, both of which she could easily afford.
Fellow North Carolinians Cheered
This Powerball winning tale warmed the hearts of fellow North Carolinians, and the online commentary was more than congratulatory. Many threads filled up with messages of support for a hard-working single mom who was finally able to realize her dreams. There were high fives and accolades applauding her return to school. And fellow horse owners celebrated with her as she was able to get back to her equine roots. It seems that while many may have been disappointed in not winning the Powerball themselves, Laura Medlin winning was the next best thing.
What dreams would you realize with a Powerball prize windfall? Would you pursue an education, keep your job, and buy a house? Or maybe you’re a fellow horse enthusiast with plans to buy a ranch and stable. Whatever your dream, don’t forget to play Powerball. You might be the next heartwarming story we share!