Lottery winner needed a break
Published: March 8, 2006
Jason Wheeler did what any Upstate New York resident would do after winning $1 million — he turned up his heat.
But before that, the 27-year-old from Marcy had to convince his friends and family the Red Hot Million New York Lottery scratch-off ticket he bought at Fastrac on North Genesee Street really was a winner.
“Dad, I won a million dollars,” he said to his father, Bill Wheeler, about 8:45 p.m. Feb. 16, an hour after he bought the ticket.
“Swear to God,” his father demanded.
“Swear to God,” Jason Wheeler said.
“Swear on your mother,” his father persisted.
“I swear on my mother,” Jason Wheeler said.
Swearing on her wasn’t enough for mom Cindy Wheeler. She didn’t believe it until her son sent her a picture of the ticket by cell phone.
“I was shocked,” she said. “Here’s one of my kids I don’t have to worry about anymore, and it’s a great feeling.”
After fighting breast cancer for the past two years, Cindy Wheeler said it was just the kind of break the family needed. “When I told my friends at work, they said they were always hearing bad news from me. It was good to hear something positive.”
Ashley Schmidt of Utica sold Jason Wheeler the winning ticket that night. She also was the one who Jason and his father brought the ticket to for confirmation later that night — about 9 p.m.
“I was stunned,” she said. “I didn’t know what to say except I wished it was me.” Before that, the largest amount Schmidt had seen anyone win in the five months she has worked at Fastrac was $500.
Since Jason Wheeler’s lucky day, vice president of Fastrac John Lytwynec said sales at the Genesee Street store have “steadily increased.”
“Whenever you sell a winning ticket — especially with the die-hard ticket buyers — they think the store is lucky. They follow the luck,” he said.
Jason Wheeler’s winning ticket was part of the New York Lottery’s newest scratch-off game. Red Hot Million was barely two days old when Jason Wheeler scratched off matching fours that indicated a jackpot, said Nancy A. Palumbo, director of New York Lottery.
Jason Wheeler will receive the $1 million prize in 20 annual payments of $50,000, minus taxes. But the part-time salesman doesn’t have extravagant plans for the extra cash. He’ll still work, he said. He’ll pay some bills and invest with the help of a financial adviser.
As far as what he sees in his future?
“Things are looking brighter,” he said with a smile.
If you enjoyed this good news Subscribe to Good News Blog
Share this
To share this simply copy and paste one of the below URL's: