$180 Million Lottery Winners: 'We Want A Regular Life'

May 9, 2008, 12:51 pm (43 comments)

Powerball

If you can't win it big in the lottery, you hope the ones who do seem worthy of the prize. Which is why few can be disappointed that a Minnesota couple has come forward to claim one of the biggest jackpots in North American history — a whopping $180 million.

Paul and Sue Rosenau were the sole winners of the Powerball lottery in last Saturday's big draw. The couple, from the small town of Waseca, will take a one time lump sum payment worth $59.6 million after taxes.

Both are 54 and both still have time to enjoy their winnings. But neither believes the money will change their lives very much. They say they already had what matters most. "We realize that money is probably not as important as friendship and helping others," Paul Rosenau explains. "And that's what we hope to do with it."

He's a heavy equipment operator. She works at an agricultural research institute. Neither plans to retire. Like many people who strike it rich, the pair has only a few early plans, including buying a new house, taking a long deferred trip to Hawaii and vacationing with their kids.

But while the still stunned husband and wife admit the 'whirlwind win' has left them unable to think about the future, there is one other place the money is almost sure to go. Their amazing win came on a bitter anniversary for the two. It was five years to the day that their 2-year-old granddaughter died from a rare nervous system disorder known as Krabbe disease.

Research into stopping that fate from befalling anyone else is high on their agenda. "It's very emotional to know that there's a reason for this," Sue Rosenau outlines.

For now, the couple is still trying to adapt to their new status but note they're the same people they were before those fateful numbers were drawn on the weekend. "We don't need a lot," Paul concludes. "We've got more than what we need. We want to have a regular life."

And that kind of attitude is something money can't buy.

CityNews

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ThatScaryChick's avatarThatScaryChick

They sound like good people. I hope things work out well for them.

DC81's avatarDC81

Yeah, good luck to them on maintaining a regular life..... They're gonna need it.

JackpotWanna's avatarJackpotWanna

GET REAL!  They have $180 millions reasons they can't go back. ^^ $60 millions cash!  Its first class all the way baby!

dingo's avatardingo

They have to face the truth from now on. Other external factors will impact their lives regardless whether they want a regular life or not.

However, it seems that they are humble. That's one of the main key points to acheive their desire of committment to "regular life."

tiggs95's avatartiggs95

If I won that much money and people knew it I'd move out..Go 1st class at thier age..They will be hounded...

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by dingo on May 9, 2008

They have to face the truth from now on. Other external factors will impact their lives regardless whether they want a regular life or not.

However, it seems that they are humble. That's one of the main key points to acheive their desire of committment to "regular life."

People will say they will continue to have a regular life and keep on working because they never had $60 million before. They probably mean they will pay a half million dollars for a new home instead of $5 million and buy 2 or 3 new cars instead of a fleet. They will fly their family first class to Hawaii and stay at first class resort but not buy a private jet and an island.

It's obvious that much money will change their lifestyle but it doesn't necessarily mean the people will change.

sirbrad's avatarsirbrad

If you "want a regular life" don't play a $180 milllion dollar jackpot. Also if you continue to live just a plain regular life, you are a waste of such a large jackpot. Use the opportunity to do things no one else ever could dream of. It is always these unprepared types that "don't need anything" who win. It is pretty easy to say that the money does not matter after you obtain so much and have such a huge security blanket.

Uff Da!'s avatarUff Da!

Quote: Originally posted by sirbrad on May 10, 2008

If you "want a regular life" don't play a $180 milllion dollar jackpot. Also if you continue to live just a plain regular life, you are a waste of such a large jackpot. Use the opportunity to do things no one else ever could dream of. It is always these unprepared types that "don't need anything" who win. It is pretty easy to say that the money does not matter after you obtain so much and have such a huge security blanket.

So according to you, donation to medical research is a waste of such a large jackpot.  Sounds to me that they do plan to use the opportunity to do things no one else could ever dream of.  Face it, it is just that your dream differs from their dream.  Is there any reason they have to be similar?

Kidzmom's avatarKidzmom

Quote: Originally posted by sirbrad on May 10, 2008

If you "want a regular life" don't play a $180 milllion dollar jackpot. Also if you continue to live just a plain regular life, you are a waste of such a large jackpot. Use the opportunity to do things no one else ever could dream of. It is always these unprepared types that "don't need anything" who win. It is pretty easy to say that the money does not matter after you obtain so much and have such a huge security blanket.

Nobody is "really" prepared to win that kind of money.  We would want it not to change our lives, but it will.  And how could that be such a waste of a large jackpot? Did you win it? Donating a large sum of money to medical research is not something everyone can do..Sure we can donate small amounts but millions..I think not.

I work in a pediatrics ICU and seeing a child die is a very bad thing and god aweful to family members.  You would do everything in your power to try to save your child but when that fails, you want to save someone else's child or family members.  These illnesses are very devastating. So I don't think that them winning was a waste of anything.  If it could bring their grandchild back and I am pretty sure they would give up all their winnings.

K

sirbrad's avatarsirbrad

Regardless of what they "claim" they are going to do, I just get sick of reading about how these winners just want to live normal lives and have nothing change. Why bother playing the lottery then at all? It is pointless to have life-changing money that few others will ever have, and just sit on it not knowing how to handle it or use it. I think some people are indeed well prepared to win a large amount of money, I am one of them...and have been for many years now.

Although I would not be a lavish spender, I can assure you I would not sit around with trying to be "normal." Although it could very well be just a lie to avoid further publicity. I am not sure which is worse with these types of winners, blowing it all or doing nothing and even going back to a bad job after winning. It just seems as though the ones who win the majority of the time are the ones who do not expect to win, do not care, nor need to win. I could see "living normal" if you only won a million. But when the beat such high odds and win this amount why not max it out?

It just sounds ridiculous. But I stand by my original statement, you want to be normal don't play or accept a $180 million dollar jackpot, then cry when you win it. 

sirbrad's avatarsirbrad

"Nobody is "really" prepared to win that kind of money.  We would want it not to change our lives, but it will."

Speak for yourself. My life would change drastically, and for the better. More opportunities would open up that would have never been there before, for myself and others. I guess we all do have different goals.

Think's avatarThink

If they want a regular life they certainly can afford to corner the market on Exlax!

FiLUK

It's doesn't matter what they do or don't do with their winnings, your not gonna get a single dollar of it anyway.

psykomo's avatarpsykomo

Quote: Originally posted by ThatScaryChick on May 9, 2008

They sound like good people. I hope things work out well for them.

"ME 222222222222222!!!"

On 5/09/08 (friday)........I touched an ASTON MARTIN.....$149,000 tag

                                      with a gas guzzler TAX of>>.....$     1700 ???

THIS was the ONE .......a PSYKO w@@d>>>>>>>>>>>>.....CH@@$E

The BENTLY was only...>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> $379.000 tag

TEN miles per gallon on the BENTLY with a $4000.00 guzzle TAX!!!!!!

AT least all of  my G@@D LP friend's know or should>>>KNOW>>>!!

PSYKOMO is not <<<<<<<<<<<<< DARN KRAZY>>>>>>>>>>>!!

ASTON MARTIN got13 miles/gallon

LOL

PSYKOMO

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