New Jersey family wins $429.6M Powerball jackpot

A mother and her seven adult children will split the $429.6 million (USD) Powerball jackpot. The Smith family stepped forward to claim the prize during a news conference at the New Jersey Lottery headquarters in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

The sole winning ticket was bought in Trenton last week by Pearlie Smith, 70, who spent six dollars for two tickets.

The jackpot was the ninth-highest U.S. lottery prize in history, officials said.

The family has decided to take the prize money in a lump sum valued at $284 million.

One of Smith’s daughters, Valerie Arthur, spoke for the family and described learning about the big win.

“It was a big shock when we first learned that we were Powerball winners. It was a bigger shock when we learned that we were the only ticket holder. And it was like, it was like an affirmation from God because we each have dreams that we want to fulfill in this life and do for our community and do for each other in our families. And was like, well, we have been funded to do that. And that’s what we’re going to do, work in our communities and work in our family,” she said.

Arthur, who retired last year from the state Department of Corrections, worked 27 years as a prison administrator.

She detailed the future plans of her sister Catherine.

“It has always been her dream to do a mentoring program for young women. And she has been doing that for the last 15 years and it has been a struggle to get funding. And now she has her own funding, where she can help these young ladies at risk and doesn’t have to rely upon any grants or writing for special scholarships. She can go and change lives on her own accord.”

“Wow,” was the way the family’s matriarch, Pearlie Smith, described winning the multi-million dollar lottery jackpot.