The Robinson family made the announcement on the Today Show Friday before confirming the tickets with Tennessee lottery officials, but NBC conducted an independent verification to prove the match.
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The Robinsons said they had reached out to NBC on the advice of their lawyer, Joe Townsend.
When asked what they would do with the money, the Robinsons said the first thing they plan to do is pay off their daughter’s student loans. “They want to let the public know they’re the winners”.
John Robinson said he bought the winning ticket late Wednesday at the family-owned Naifeh’s grocery on his way home from work as requested by his wife, though he was not feeling well that time.
Lisa, who works at a dermatology clinic, says she will continue to work despite winning the massive jackpot.
She nearly threw away her winning US$1 million ($1.55 million) lottery ticket from Wednesday night’s US$1 billion-plus ($2.43 billion) Powerball drawing. Unlike many of us, Walker won big.
As they say, the rest is history. Winning tickets were also sold in California and Florida.
The pair said they were in disbelief when the lottery numbers were read and checked them dozens of times.
Robinson did say that he had signed the back of the ticket, showing his ownership of it.
Tennessee Lottery has not verified the ticket, which John Robinson had been keeping in the front pocket of his shirt.
She woke him up at 4:30 a.m.to tell him they had a victor after triple-checking the numbers. “They are responsible. They’ve always lived within their means”, said Cole, who owns an auto parts store in town. “I knew that I wanted to get an accountant”.
The ticket has yet to be verified by Tennessee lottery officials, but news outlets have reported that one of the winning tickets was sold in Munford.
Lottery officials said that Lawrence then called group member Tracy Leonard with the news – once they realized the tickets were at school in Leonard’s desk.
“So I got to looking, and I saw it, and I looked again, they’re the same”, Lisa explained of the moment she learned she was the victor.
Levy, who did not see the winning numbers himself, described the victor as a 62-year-old married mom of seven kids – six of them nurses themselves.
Lottery officials said the couple told them they have “big but realistic plans for their prize” money.
Little did the couple in the video know that the purchase would forever change their lives.
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While it’s unclear what punishment the son might receive from his mother and other loved ones, the family is in good company, with plenty of others falsely claiming they had won at least a piece of the .5 billion Powerball jackpot.
