Low-fuel light leads NC couple to huge lottery prize. ‘We both were screaming’
After a day full of Black Friday shopping for Christmas gifts, Laura Keen and her boyfriend had to make a stop for gas when their truck’s low-fuel light turned on.
When they stopped at a 7-Eleven in Kernersville, North Carolina, Keen went inside to grab a coffee and a $30 Millionaire Maker ticket, she told lottery officials, according to a Nov. 29 news release. Back in the truck, she scratched the ticket.
“I was screaming,” Keen told officials. “He was screaming. We both were screaming.”
Keen won a $1 million prize.
“We were just in shock, just shock,” she said.
On Monday, Nov. 28, Keen collected her prize, opting for a lump-sum payment. After state and federal tax withholdings, she went home with $426,069, according to officials.
Now, Keen, who lives in Winston-Salem, plans to “be smart” with her prize, she told officials. While she doesn’t have definite plans, she’s considering a small vacation.
“We would never have won that if that gas light had not gone off,” she said.
Kernersville is about 95 miles northwest of Raleigh.
If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.
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