Morning coffee run becomes $220K jolt for Apex couple

APEX (WTVD) -- Like most mornings, Ray and Varlia Powell of Apex stopped at a convenience store and bought cups of coffee.

That routine recently provided the Powells with more than just a caffeine boost. A Cash 5 ticket they bought along with their coffee gave them an unimaginable rush to the tune of $220, 588 -- the amount they won on Feb. 20

The Powells said they normally start their day buying a cup of coffee and checking their Cash 5 numbers. That's how they learned they had won the Cash 5 jackpot on Feb. 20.

When the Apex couple realized they had a winning ticket, they couldn't believe their luck.

"I started crying, shouting, and thanking God," Varlia Powell said.

Ray Powell, a landscaper, and Varlia Powell, a patient care tech at Rex Hospital, claimed the prize Monday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh.

After required state and federal tax withholdings they took home $152,757.

The Powells plan to make a donation to their church and use the rest of the money to pay bills.

They bought the $1 winning ticket at Compare Foods on East Williams Street in Apex.