RALEIGH -- Marie Holmes, of Shallotte, says it still doesn't feel real. The 26-year-old claimed her Powerball jackpot prize Monday.
"I looked at the numbers that I had on my ticket and I was like, 'This can't be the right numbers on my line, so I had to call my mom because she gets the numbers on her phone, and she came back and they were actually it.' I checked them and they were the right numbers and I was like, 'We made it,'” said Holmes.
Her ticket was one of the winners in the Feb. 11 drawing. She will share the $564 million top prize with the other two winners from Texas and Puerto Rico.
Her decision to buy tickets in the Powerball was not routine.
"I only played, actually, when I had spare cash. First I bought five and it was a $15 ticket. So $3 apiece, that was the first ticket that actually had the winning number on them. I sent my momma back to get more because I actually wanted 10,” said Holmes.
The single mother of four children, all under seven, says the winnings will have a tremendous impact on their future.
"(They're) going to be able to go to school, not have to worry about paying for it. They're going to be able to live a comfortable life and not worry about struggling,” Holmes said.
Her attorney and financial advisor urged Holmes to opt for the lump sum payment of $127 million. After taxes, she will get nearly $88 million.
Holmes says she plans on moving and looks forward to traveling outside the country. She also plans continue her education in the nursing field.
Holmes says her 7-year-old son has cerebral palsy. She hopes her story can shine a light on challenges faced by children and adults with the disease.