Posted on 07/26/2004 10:37:17 AM PDT by UnklGene
Man wins Hoosier Lotto jackpot two days after divorce from cheating wife finalized -
By Ben Jennings, THG News
July 25, 2004
Until last Saturday, 2004 had been the worst year of Randy Fletcher’s life.
On a cold mid-January day, the 29 year old Brownstown resident took a half-day off of work due to a severe case of diarrhea, only to find his wife of four years, Tara, in bed with a neighbor.
Two months later, he wrecked his mint-condition 1956 Chevy that he had spent three years carefully restoring when a deer ran out in front of him.
May brought even more heartache; Fletcher’s 12 year-old German Shepherd Molly was diagnosed with cancer and had to be put to sleep.
Fletcher, who works as a union electrician, felt that his life was cursed after losing his house and most of his life savings in the divorce proceedings that were finalized on July 15.
That is until July 17, when his life changed forever. Fletcher purchased five dollars worth of Hoosier Lottery computer picks for that night’s drawing, like he had done every Wednesday and Saturday for the past several years.
When he checked his ticket numbers against those in the Sunday Indianapolis Star, he had to do a double take—the third row of numbers on his ticket matched those in the newspaper: 5-15-27-37-39-46!
Randy Fletcher had just won the $1 million jackpot.
“I was in complete shock for several hours,” said Fletcher, “It took me several minutes to catch my breath. It was the most unbelievable and amazing feeling I have ever had, especially after all that had happened this year.”
Fletcher says he plans to use the approximately $289,000 he will be taking home after accepting the cash option and paying federal, state, and local taxes to get back on his feet. “I am going to buy a new house, probably get Harley, and a new puppy, probably another (German) Shepherd. Get a whole new fresh start on life. I also want to head to Cancun for a few days this winter.”
The life of Randy Fletcher is a prime example of how every cloud has a silver lining. When asked what advice he has for anyone else whose life is in shambles, Fletcher advises, “Just keep plugging away. Sooner or later things will look up. I am a prime example of that.”
Heaven help him if the likes of John Edwards gets to his POS ex!
The scumbags lawyers will take all his money in simply trying to defend himself!
After all you need a lawyer to defend yourself against a lawyer to be judged by another lawyer! Hell of a evil racket!
Excellent.
I think I'll print this story out and stick it on my bathroom mirror. I'm also going to start buying Lotto tickets again.
It's nice to hear good news once in a while. Thanks fopr posting this.
Seems the big winner here is the government. You can bet the rent, his x will get half of what's left....
If she was a cheating spouse, how did he lose everything in the divorce?
Well this is the down payment on a new life. He lost a good deal but this'll help start him on something new.
From 1 million dollars he's only getting $298,000? That's unbelievable.
From 1 million dollars he's only getting $298,000? That's unbelievable.
More like all of it.
And put him in jail for holding out on her during the proceedings.
Ten bucks say her and some slimy lawyer come after half the
money using some pretense.
LOL!
Tara Fletcher is gonna be getting ALOT of phone calls rubbing it in too..
Just watch, some jerk out there will do it.
Sounds pretty (screwed) up divorce court proceedings to me!
oops. Must check source first. D'oh!
No mention of his name on the lotto site. The winning numbers match but that's it.
The front page looks legit enough and they sure do hide the fact that it's a satire site. Maybe some of their stories are more obviously satire but this one could very easily be mistaken as real.
From their disclaimer link:
DISCLAIMER
The Hoosier Gazette is a satirical newspaper published by The Hoosier Gazette
The Hoosier Gazette uses invented names in all its stories, except in cases when public figures are being satirized. Any other use of real names is accidental and coincidental.
DRATS!
It'd be funny if it was real.
Ten bucks says his wife calls her attorney to see of there is any way she can get her hands on that money.
It is a joke/hoax.
Also I did a search on the Indiana Lotto and this Fletcher dude and couldn't get any news hits....
>So, how'd I do?<
Very, very good.....shudder....
Hope you're on our side! ;)
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