A northern Michigan father of seven and grandfather of 21 was revealed Wednesday as the winner of an $80 million Powerball jackpot.

Phillip Chippewa, 54, of Suttons Bay matched the winning numbers drawn on Sept. 21 — 1, 9, 22, 36, and 68, with Powerball number 22 — according to the Michigan Lottery.

He purchased his ticket at the Barrels & Barrels Party Store located at 1375 SW Bayshore Drive in Suttons Bay.

"Anytime I see the jackpot getting up there I buy a few tickets and hope for the best," Chippewa told the Michigan Lottery. "I stopped at Barrels and Barrels the day of the drawing and almost walked out without buying the tickets, but at the last minute, I decided to get four plays."

Chippewa and his wife, Dawn, didn't immediately know that he'd won the jackpot. A call and follow-up text message from Dawn's sister, who had heard the winning ticket was purchased in Suttons Bay, reminded Chippewa to check the tickets the day after the drawing.

"After I bought the tickets, I had put them away in my truck," Chippewa said. "I ran out to take a look at them and I didn't have to look past the first line to see I was the winner. Of course, my wife and son thought I was playing a trick, so my son pulled the numbers up on his phone and read them out loud while Dawn and I looked at the ticket together. By the time he was done, we both had tears in our eyes."

The Chippewas confirmed the win with a return trip to the party store where the tickets were purchased.

"As soon as we walked in, the clerk asked: 'Are you guys the big winners?'" Chippewa said. "I handed him the ticket and said: 'We're about to find out.' When the terminal printed a receipt saying to contact the Lottery, we knew our lives had changed." 

Back home, the Chippewas held a family meeting and told the news to all seven of their children.

"There were a lot of emotions in that room because we've always put our family first and it hasn't always been easy, but all of them were so happy for us," Chippewa said.

He opted to receive the prize as a $55.3 million lump-sum payment which, after taxes, will be about $42 million.

"With seven children and 21 grandchildren, I've always said that I might not have the most money, but I am rich with family," Chippewa said. "Now, I have all the money I'll ever need and can help my family for generations. That means everything to me." 

He plans to share the newfound wealth with his family by purchasing homes for himself and each of his children. However, he also has something special planned for himself — a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle and white Dodge Challenger.

And Chippewa still goes to work every day.

"Winning is life-changing, but it's not going to change who we are," said Chippewa, who is a member of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. "My wife and I have been together for 25 years, we've always helped others and we're both still working.

"Every day when I come to work my boss asks me: 'Why are you here?' I just tell him that I was hired to do a job and I'm not going to abandon anyone just because I won. We'll both retire in time, but we believe in being good to the community that has been so good to us."

(Click to display full-size in gallery)Michigan Lottery Commissioner Brian O. Neill, left, presents Powerball jackpot winners, Phillip and Dawn Chippewa, with a check for $80 million.

(Click to display full-size in gallery)Phillip and Dawn Chippewa pose for a photo with their family and Michigan Lottery Commissioner Brian O. Neill after claiming an $80 million Powerball jackpot.