Michigan man who lost everything in flood wins $2 million from scratch off lottery ticket
Tyler Reece, Jr., a maintenance mechanic, bought a Millionaire Maker ticket from the Food Lion on Andrews Road in Fayetteville on Saturday.
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He scratched his ticket in the parking lot and ended up winning the $1 million top prize.
"I looked down and couldn't believe it," he said. "I was just trying to keep a level head. I always said if I did win something that big, I'm going to remain the same person that everybody has come to know. I'm not going to let it change me."
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Reece had the option of taking the $1 million as an annuity of $50,000 a year over 20 years or a lump sum of $600,000.
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He chose the lump sum and took home $424,509 after taxes.
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Reece and his wife plan to build another home and pay off some bills. He also plans to contribute to his community and share some of the prize money with family.
"It means a lot to us because we were just talking about how close we were getting to retirement," he said.