The $2 billion Powerball ticket was sold by him. “When they informed me, I didn’t think it was true.”
Joseph Chahayed wanted to give his family a better life and a better future when he moved to Los Angeles from Syria in 1980.
His family claimed that he has been slavishly pursuing that desire for decades. On Tuesday, though, his hard work was finally rewarded when his Altadena petrol station was given a $1 million prize for selling the $2 billion Powerball winning ticket. The retailer who buys the winning ticket receives a 0.5% share of the jackpot under California Powerball regulations, with a $1 million maximum payout.
According to Danny Chahayed, the father of Chahayed, “He’s an extremely hard-working individual.” “At 75 years old, he refuses to take a day off and gets up every day about 5 a.m. He deserves it more than anybody else.
The senior Chahayed stated that he intended to give his family and grandchildren some of the lottery winnings since they continue to inspire and encourage him to work hard and foster community.
For them, throughout my life, said Chahayed. “I offer them my love; the money is nothing.”
The lone matching ticket for the nation’s record-breaking Powerball jackpot was sold at Joe’s Mobile Service, a modest gas station and convenience shop owned by Chahayed on West Woodbury Road. The jackpot had grown to $2.04 billion by the time of the drawing early on Tuesday.
Chahayed and his family, who assist in running the store, expressed their hope that the winner, who has not yet been announced, is an Altadena native.
Chahayed was especially thrilled by the fact that state schools will also receive $156.3 million in funding from this Powerball drawing in addition to his check.
After realising he had sold the winning ticket, Chahayed stated on Tuesday, “I’m pleased for California; I’m happy for Los Angeles.” “Altadena makes me happier, though. There are many underprivileged individuals here, and they deserve it.
For the past 20 years, Chahayed has managed his family’s gas station in a neighbourhood in the northeastern foothills of Los Angeles County. He has established himself as a beloved fixture and a familiar face in the area, which was especially clear on Tuesday when an almost constant stream of neighbours and customers greeted him with hugs, handshakes, and requests for pictures.