An Iowa couple who lost their home in a 2001 tornado won a $2 million Powerball jackpot, money they say they will use to finally finish rebuilding their house.
Tammy Gordy, 56, of Ottumwa had some lottery tickets in her purse and decided to check them over the weekend.
She was in complete shock when one of them turned out to be a jackpot winner.
"I fell into my chair," Gordy, 56, said in a news release from the Iowa Lottery. "I couldn't see! There were all those zeroes! I was like, 'Maybe I need my glasses.' So yeah, we screamed."
Gordy said she will use part of her winnings to finish the home she and her husband have slowly been building after theirs was completely destroyed in a tornado that hit Wapello County back in 2001. The money will help speed up the process and add some features they can now afford.
“We were in the process of building a home and it kind of got put on hold for a few years, so now this is going to speed it up,” she said. “And it’s going to go into better details. I’m talking a walk-in closet and a Jacuzzi tub!”
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When the couple shared the news with their four adult children, Gordy said they had a hard time believing their parents at first. So did her boss when she asked for time off of work to claim her prize.
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"I am a jokester, but not to that extent," she said.
Gordy's ticket matched the first five numbers, but missed the Powerball. Because she added the Power Play, her winnings multiplied to $2 million.
