Cheng “Charlie” Saephan (46) is an immigrant from Laos to the USA, and has had cancer for eight years. Now he has won 1.3 billion dollars, over NOK 14 billion.
Tuesday 30 April at 03:47
Cheng “Charlie” Saephan, who was born in Laos and immigrated to the United States in 1994, told a press conference on Monday that he and his wife Duanpen, 37, will share the money equally with a friend, Laiza Chao, 55, AP writes.
Saephan, who had chemotherapy last week, said he will now be able to “get me a good doctor” and take care of his family.
– As a cancer patient, I wondered “how will I find time to spend all this money? How long will I live?”, said Saephan according to AP.
He has two children, who are financially secure and will be so for the rest of their lives.
Also read: Won with her late husband’s coupon
Saephan belongs to the Southeast Asian Iu Mien ethnic group, which has roots in southern China. Many Iu Mien families fled to Thailand after the Vietnam War and later settled in the United States. Today, tens of thousands of Iu Mien live along the west coast, with a large and active community in Portland.
Saephan said that in the weeks leading up to the draw, he slept with the numbers he was going to bet on under his pillow and prayed to win so he could “do something for my family first” before he dies.
The winning ticket was bought at a petrol station in Portland in early April. The $1.3 billion jackpot is the fourth largest in Powerball history.
Also read: Nordmann won 147 million in Viking Lotto
