Cheng “Charlie” Saephan has been battling cancer for eight years, and recently underwent chemotherapy. He is one of the three winners of the $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot this month, along with his wife, Duanpen Saephan, and friend Laiza Chao. After much deliberation, the trio decided to take the cash option of over $422 million after taxes, with Chao receiving 50% and the Saephans taking 25% each.
At a news conference held by the Oregon Lottery, Saephan expressed his joy for his family but also pondered how to spend his newfound fortune given his ongoing battle with cancer. His plans include living a normal life and buying his family a dream home.
The Powerball jackpot was the fourth-largest in history and the largest prize ever won in Oregon. The winning ticket was sold at a Plaid Pantry convenience store in Portland, earning the store a $100,000 bonus. Saephan, who has lived in Portland for 30 years after being a native of Laos, used the Quick Pick option to generate the winning numbers. He attributes his win to divine intervention, saying that God picked the numbers for him. When he found out about his win, he called his friend Chao, who had contributed $100 towards the lottery tickets, and told her to skip work because they had won the jackpot.
