Powerball Jackpot Winner Who Won $1.3 Billion Is an Immigrant With Cancer

The Oregon Lottery has revealed the man who won the $1.3 Billion Powerball jackpot winner, a Laos-born immigrant named Cheng "Charlie" Saephan, 46. He had been battling cancer for eight years, and his latest chemotherapy treatment only happened last week.

The new Powerball winner, who won one of the biggest prizes in US lottery history, appeared during an Oregon Lottery press conference and revealed that he and his wife, 37-year-old wife Duanpen, are only keeping half of their winnings, with the rest going to a friend named Laiza Chao, He credits her for helping him win as she chipped in $100 to buy a batch of tickets with them.

According to the Associated Press, they are taking the lump sum prize worth $422 million after taxes. Saephan admitted that as a cancer patient, he does not have much time to spend all that money.

"I will be able to provide for my family and my health," he said during the press conference, adding that he will "find a good doctor for myself" while also noting, "How am I going to have time to spend all of this money? How long will I live?"

The new Powerball winner is now a millionaire, as the lump sum prize takes away a certain percentage of the money won. However, when Saephan explained how he got the news that they won, he stated that before the draw, Chao sent him a picture of the winning tickets to Saephan and said, "We're billionaires." The next day, they actually won, and Chao was one of the first people to tell them that they had become rich.

Immigrant Who Won Powerball Jackpot Says He Is Blessed and Grateful

As for how he feels after winning hundreds of millions of dollars, the Portland, Oregon resident stated, "I am grateful for the lottery and how I have been blessed," and added, "My life has been changed. Now I can bless my family and hire a good doctor for myself."

According to CBS News, the winning Powerball ticket was bought at a Plaid Pantry convenience store in Portland back in early April. The Laos-born immigrant was also the one who ended a winless streak that had stretched more than three months.

"I prayed to God to help me," the father of two told reporters. "My kids are young and I'm not that healthy."

Oregon Powerball Winners Cannot Be Anonymous

While in most states, lottery winners remain anonymous, Oregon is one of the few exceptions. Much like in California, the rule in Oregon to make lottery winners public is to ensure the public that these winners are real people.

Much like other states, however, Saephan had the choice of a one-time cash payment or 30 annual installments. Because of his medical condition, the Powerball winner chose the lump sum, which was reduced after 8% state and 24% federal taxes were withheld, according to the Salem Statesman Journal.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Oregon winners of $1.3B Powerball jackpot: Husband, wife and friend | Complete news conference - KGW News