RALEIGH, N.C. — Barbara Hanks-Davis spends her day making sure your Christmas packages arrive safely to their destinations.
But recently, the postal worker of Henderson got a special gift of her own. She won $500,000 on a BIG SPIN scratch-off ticket!
“I’m in overjoy!” Hanks-Davis said jumping up and down. “I can’t believe this is happening. I’m a BIG SPIN winner!”
Her good luck started when she stopped at the Han-Dee Hugo on Leesville Road in Raleigh to get some chicken nuggets during her lunch break. She bought a $5 ticket and scratched it in her car. She saw the SPIN symbol so she went to the BIG SPIN website and put in her code, which allowed her to spin a digital wheel. When it landed on THE BIG SPIN, she couldn't believe it.
“I thought, ‘This can’t be right. Maybe I hit the wrong button,’” Hanks-Davis said. “I called my son and had him check it and he said, ‘Yes, mom. You did win.’ I started jumping and screaming on the phone. I was screaming and hollering, I was so excited. I had to calm myself down so I didn’t have a heart attack.”
Her husband, son, and soon to be daughter-in-law swept onto the stage as she was presented with the big check.
Hanks-Davis took home over $350,000 after state and federal taxes. She says she plans to use to money to treat herself to something, take care of her family, and possibly retire a few years early.