If Charles J. Lonsdale is as nice a guy as his suburban West Palm Beach neighbors say he is, the old adage about where such folks place in the race of life is off by millions.
Off by $7,612,503, to be exact. And 22 cents.
That's how much the 52-year-old Lonsdale claimed Wednesday as one of three winners of Saturday's $40 million Lotto drawing in Tallahassee. Lonsdale bought his winning ticket at the BJ's Wholesale Club off State Road 7 north of Southern Boulevard in Royal Palm Beach. He and his wife, whose name was not available early Wednesday, decided to take their winnings in one lump payment, a Florida Lottery spokesman said. It's the second winning Lotto ticket sold in Royal Palm Beach since September, when a Wellington couple claimed some $21 million with a winning ticket sold at Postal Center IX shop in the Village Royale plaza.
The Lottery spokesman said Lonsdale and his wife arrived in Tallahassee by chartered plane to pick up their winnings.
Lonsdale's home off Belvedere Road sports a flag pole with Old Glory flying and a God Bless America display at the front door, just behind a rusted GMC pickup and a late model BMW in the driveway. Some neighbors just call Lonsdale "Chuck" and next door neighbor Weber Juste said Lonsdale was happy to loan out his lawnmower and other tools when Juste's family just moved in.
"He's a good guy," the 21-year-old said. "Anytime you need something they're happy to loan it to you."
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