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CNN Live At Daybreak

Wake-Up Call: Powerball Winner

Aired December 27, 2002 - 06:35   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: So, you've just won a record lottery jackpot. What do you splurge on? Well, if you're Andrew Whittaker, you spend money on the things that matter in your life -- your family, your church, your work.
Whitaker was the single winner of this week's Powerball drawing, taking in about $112 million. That's the payout he got after taxes. Despite health problems leading to eight operations in eight years, Whitaker says he has no plans to retire. In fact, he says he plans to expand his contracting business.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW JACKSON WHITTAKER, JR., LOTTERY WINNER: I had 25 people laid off right now at Christmas. I want more work so I can put them back to work. I don't like them being off work. I have 117 employees, and right now, we've had to lay off about -- because of the weather, we've had to lay off about 25 people. And we're -- you know, we're wanting to get more work and put them back to work as soon as possible. That's my goal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: For more on this Powerball winner, we go to CNN's Jason Bellini with a wake-up telephone call from Charleston, West Virginia.

Good morning -- Jason.

JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

And it's not too often that you have someone come up on stage who you haven't seen before, and he's total character. We've got him straight out of central casting.

The nice thing was, he didn't just jump up on the stage and brag about all of things he would buy himself. And you saw instead he's speaking in terms of being a religious man and how he's excited because of all of the good things he can do with the money.

COSTELLO: Oh, and he's really already wealthy, isn't he?

BELLINI: He is. He was asked, "Are you already a millionaire?" And he gave a real curt (ph) answer, he said "Yes." But he said he's going to give 10 percent of the money he'll receive, which after taxes will be $111 million. He'll give 10 percent as tithing to the Church of God. COSTELLO: And he's also going to give some money to his family members. His granddaughter, I believe, wants to go to college and make a big career for herself.

BELLINI: Well, she doesn't really have to, but if she wants to do that, I'm sure she can. You know, he said that -- you know, he joked that the only thing he's worried about is what his wife, his daughter and granddaughter are going to do with the money. He himself is -- the only thing he is going to be splurging on was possibly buying a helicopter for himself.

COSTELLO: A helicopter, interesting. I actually like what he said. He's going to hire back his laid-off employees. He sounds like such a generous man, and really, he didn't seem all that excited either.

BELLINI: Yes, it was funny. One question I asked him was, 'Why do you think you were the one? How come you were so lucky?' And I think I got the answer I was expecting. He said, "Well, I'm not lucky; I'm a blessed man."

COSTELLO: Oh.

BELLINI: That's his attitude and why he took the whole thing in stride. He believes that that's what God intended for him.

COSTELLO: And he won it on Christmas Day. Jason Bellini, thanks for getting up early with us. We appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired December 27, 2002 - 06:35   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: So, you've just won a record lottery jackpot. What do you splurge on? Well, if you're Andrew Whittaker, you spend money on the things that matter in your life -- your family, your church, your work.
Whitaker was the single winner of this week's Powerball drawing, taking in about $112 million. That's the payout he got after taxes. Despite health problems leading to eight operations in eight years, Whitaker says he has no plans to retire. In fact, he says he plans to expand his contracting business.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW JACKSON WHITTAKER, JR., LOTTERY WINNER: I had 25 people laid off right now at Christmas. I want more work so I can put them back to work. I don't like them being off work. I have 117 employees, and right now, we've had to lay off about -- because of the weather, we've had to lay off about 25 people. And we're -- you know, we're wanting to get more work and put them back to work as soon as possible. That's my goal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: For more on this Powerball winner, we go to CNN's Jason Bellini with a wake-up telephone call from Charleston, West Virginia.

Good morning -- Jason.

JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

And it's not too often that you have someone come up on stage who you haven't seen before, and he's total character. We've got him straight out of central casting.

The nice thing was, he didn't just jump up on the stage and brag about all of things he would buy himself. And you saw instead he's speaking in terms of being a religious man and how he's excited because of all of the good things he can do with the money.

COSTELLO: Oh, and he's really already wealthy, isn't he?

BELLINI: He is. He was asked, "Are you already a millionaire?" And he gave a real curt (ph) answer, he said "Yes." But he said he's going to give 10 percent of the money he'll receive, which after taxes will be $111 million. He'll give 10 percent as tithing to the Church of God. COSTELLO: And he's also going to give some money to his family members. His granddaughter, I believe, wants to go to college and make a big career for herself.

BELLINI: Well, she doesn't really have to, but if she wants to do that, I'm sure she can. You know, he said that -- you know, he joked that the only thing he's worried about is what his wife, his daughter and granddaughter are going to do with the money. He himself is -- the only thing he is going to be splurging on was possibly buying a helicopter for himself.

COSTELLO: A helicopter, interesting. I actually like what he said. He's going to hire back his laid-off employees. He sounds like such a generous man, and really, he didn't seem all that excited either.

BELLINI: Yes, it was funny. One question I asked him was, 'Why do you think you were the one? How come you were so lucky?' And I think I got the answer I was expecting. He said, "Well, I'm not lucky; I'm a blessed man."

COSTELLO: Oh.

BELLINI: That's his attitude and why he took the whole thing in stride. He believes that that's what God intended for him.

COSTELLO: And he won it on Christmas Day. Jason Bellini, thanks for getting up early with us. We appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.