VANCOUVER, Wash. – A Vancouver man struggling after losing his job said he could barely breathe when he realized he had won the $6.8 million lottery jackpot.
H. Neil Sullivan said he bought his lottery ticket at the Safeway store on 81st Street in Vancouver and when he checked the winning numbers online, he was blown away by the perfect match.
“I never believed this would happen,” said Sullivan. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing!”
Sullivan had been struggling to pay his bills and searching for work when he bought the ticket. He also recently had to sell his home.
Now he said he will buy a new house in Vancouver and put half of his winnings away for retirement. He’s also going to give something to each of his four children, including a son who’s about to get married.
“It’s time to help them out,” Sullivan said. “This allows the possibility for a much nicer gift than I otherwise would have been able to afford.”
Since 1982, Washington’s Lottery has generated more than $2.5 billion to help fund state programs, including education construction, stadium debt reduction, economic development and problem gambling prevention and treatment.
