2 weeks ago
Cheng "Charlie" Saephan wore a wide grin and a agleam bluish sash emblazoned pinch nan words "Iu-Mien USA" arsenic he hoisted an oversized cheque for $1.3 cardinal supra his head.
The 46-year-old immigrant's luck successful winning an tremendous Powerball jackpot successful Oregon earlier this period — a lump sum costs of $422 cardinal aft taxes, which he and his woman will divided pinch a friend — has changed his life. It besides raised consciousness astir Iu Mien people, a southeast Asian taste group pinch origins successful China, galore of whose members fled from Laos to Thailand and past settled successful nan U.S. pursuing nan Vietnam War.
"I americium calved successful Laos, but I americium not Laotian," Saephan told a news convention Monday astatine Oregon Lottery headquarters, wherever his personality arsenic 1 of nan jackpot's winners was revealed. "I americium Iu Mien."
WINNER OF $1.3B POWERBALL JACKPOT IDENTIFIED AS LAOS IMMIGRANT WHO IS BATTLING CANCER
During nan Vietnam War, nan CIA and U.S. subject recruited Iu Mien successful neighboring Laos, galore of them subsistence farmers, to prosecute successful guerrilla warfare and to supply intelligence and surveillance to disrupt nan Ho Chi Minh Trail that nan North Vietnamese utilized to nonstop troops and weapons done Laos and Cambodia into South Vietnam.
Cheng "Charlie" Saephan won nan $1.3 cardinal Powerball jackpot and this triumph has brought attraction to a little-known Asian culture, lu Mien, successful nan U.S. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
After nan conflict arsenic good arsenic nan Laotian civilian war, erstwhile nan U.S.-backed authorities of Laos fell successful 1975, they fled by nan thousands to debar reprisals from nan caller Communist government, escaping by ft done nan jungle and past crossed nan Mekong River into Thailand, according to a history posted connected nan website of Iu Mien Community Services successful Sacramento, California. More than 70% of nan Iu Mien organization successful Laos near and galore coiled up successful exile camps successful Thailand.
Thousands of nan refugees were allowed to travel to nan U.S., pinch nan first waves arriving successful nan precocious 1970s and astir settling on nan West Coast. The civilization had rich | traditions of storytelling, basketry, embroidery and jewelry-making, but galore initially had trouble adjusting to Western life owed to taste and connection differences arsenic good arsenic a deficiency of general education.
There are now tens of thousands of Iu Mien — pronounced "yoo MEE’-en" — successful nan U.S., pinch galore attending universities aliases starting businesses. Many person converted to Christianity from accepted animist religions. There is simply a sizeable Iu Mien community successful Portland and its suburbs, pinch a Buddhist temple and Baptist church, progressive societal organization, and businesses and restaurants.
Cayle Tern, president of nan Iu Mien Association of Oregon, arrived successful Portland pinch his family successful 1980, erstwhile he was 3 years old. He is now moving for City Council. Saephan's Powerball triumph is important for different Iu Mien, he said.
"It intends truthful overmuch because each of america came pinch truthful little," Tern said. "I return pridefulness successful seeing our members of nan organization beforehand and flourish, and I conscionable consciousness truthful bully for him."
Saephan, 46, said he was calved successful Laos and moved to Thailand successful 1987, earlier immigrating to nan U.S. successful 1994. He graduated from precocious schoolhouse successful 1996 and has lived successful Portland for 30 years. He worked arsenic a machinist for an aerospace company.
He said Monday that he has had crab for 8 years and had his latest chemotherapy curen past week.
OREGON AUTHORITIES TO REVEAL WINNER OF $1.3B POWERBALL JACKPOT
"I will beryllium capable to supply for my family and my health," he said, adding that he’d "find a bully expert for myself."
Saephan, who has 2 young children, said that arsenic a crab patient, he wondered, "How americium I going to person clip to walk each of this money? How agelong will I live?"
He said he and his 37-year-old wife, Duanpen, are taking half nan money, and nan remainder is going to a friend, Laiza Chao, 55, of nan Portland suburb of Milwaukie. Chao had chipped successful $100 to bargain a batch of tickets pinch them.
Chao, was connected her measurement to activity erstwhile Saephan called her pinch nan news: "You don’t person to spell anymore," he said.
In nan weeks starring up to nan drawing, he wrote retired numbers for nan crippled connected a portion of insubstantial and slept pinch it nether his pillow, he said. He prayed that he would win, saying, "I request immoderate thief — I don’t want to dice yet unless I person done thing for my family first."
The winning Powerball summons was sold successful early April astatine a Plaid Pantry convenience shop successful Portland, ending a winless streak that had stretched much than 3 months. The Oregon Lottery said it had to spell done a information and vetting process earlier announcing nan personality of nan personification who came guardant to declare nan prize.
Under Oregon law, pinch fewer exceptions, lottery players cannot stay anonymous. Winners person a twelvemonth to declare nan apical prize.
The jackpot had a rate worth of $621 cardinal earlier taxes if nan victor chose to return a lump sum alternatively than an annuity paid complete 30 years, pinch an contiguous payout followed by 29 yearly installments. The prize is taxable to national taxes and authorities taxes successful Oregon.
The $1.3 cardinal prize is nan 4th largest Powerball jackpot successful history, and nan eighth largest among U.S. jackpot games, according to nan Oregon Lottery.
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The biggest U.S. lottery jackpot won was $2.04 cardinal successful California successful 2022.
