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CNN Live At Daybreak

Maine Couple Win Powerball

Aired August 28, 2001 - 08:00   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We begin with the big winners. Three of the four winners have come forward, but we're still waiting to hear who has a winning ticket in Delaware. That ticket holder will share a jackpot of nearly $295 million with the winners in Minnesota, Kentucky and Maine.

Our Patty Davis is in Buxton, Maine this morning to tell us more about where is this person -- Patty?

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, Pat and Irwin Wales are those lucky winners here in the state of Maine. They played the New Hampshire Powerball and won in that state. They are waking up to the fact that they are multi-millionaires today -- not a bad thing to wake up to.

Now, they took the cash payout of about $41 million. Their lawyer claimed the prize for them yesterday. Sleep, he says, would be an improvement for them. They have not been able to get a wink of sleep since they won.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TERRY GARMY, WINNERS' ATTORNEY: They are just overwhelmed with the good fortune that they have experienced. And they hope to remain the simple people that are based -- their friends that loved them when they were poor are going to be their friends tomorrow. And their family that stayed by them when they were poor are going to be their family tomorrow.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAVIS: Now, their lawyer describes the Wales as simple people who want to stay that way. Pat loves bingo. She has taken a leave of absence from her job in financial services in Portland, which is just nearby the metropolitan area. Her husband, Irwin, mows lawns. He also works at a motorcycle shop -- has worked at a speedway -- drives a pickup truck with 141,000 miles on it.

Now, other winners also came forward yesterday. In Minnesota, a medical records clerk, Sheryel Hanuman, a mother of three, claimed her share of the Powerball jackpot saying she was absolutely overwhelmed as well.

In Kentucky, another man claiming his quarter share of that $295 million prize -- that was 46-year-old Dave Edwards. He is an ex-con who is out of work -- had no health insurance. He cashed in his ticket.

Everyone so far taking the $41 million cash lump sum.

So far, no winner, as you said, in the state of Delaware. There is a winner, but nobody has come forward at least to claim their prize. However, the lottery commission there did give a $10,000 payout to the store that sold that ticket.

Now, we expect to hear from the Wales themselves today. They are going to hold a news conference -- a very lucky couple. In fact, their lawyer says that they played three lotteries on Saturday and won them all -- two for $25 total, and then in the evening found out that they were multi,-millionaires striking it rich in the Powerball -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Wow, we get -- need to find out their strategy -- Patty Davis, thanks so much.

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