WOULD GO STAND IN FRONT OF THE
TABLE. AND WITHOUT FURTHER WINNER, MANU
FRANCO, COME ON OVER. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. >> CAN YOU SMILE, MANUEL? [LAUGHTER]
>> WE ARE ALL SMILING FOR YOU, I
KNOW THAT. >> WITH THAT, MANUEL HAS
PREPARED A STATEMENT THAT HE
WOULD LIKE TO READ. FOLLOWING THAT, HE IS PREPARED
TO TAKE A FEW QUESTIONS, SO I
WILL HAND IT OVER TO MANUEL. MANUEL: I WANT TO START BY
SAYING THANK YOU FOR COMING
HERE. >> CAN YOU GIVE HIM THAT MIC,
TOO? >> I JUST WANT TO START BY
SAYING THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO
HAS SUPPORTED ME THROUGHOUT THE
YEARS. I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAY. [LAUGHTER]
>> MY NAME IS MANUEL FRANCO, I
AM 24 YEARS OLD, I REALLY WISH
THAT I WAS A NEW BERLIN
RESIDENT. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS NOT THE
CASE, BUT I AM FROM WEST ALLIS
AND THAT IS PRE-MUCH MY HOME FOR
A WHILE. THE STORY OF HOW I ONE IS A BIT
OF A TALE. AROUND 2:00 P.M., I LEFT WORK
AND I PRETTY MUCH FELT LUCKY. IT IS A WEIRD, LUCKY FEELING AND
NOT NATURAL OR NORMAL AT ALL. I WALKED INTO THE SPEEDWAY IN
NEW BERLIN AND I PURCHASED A $10
WORTH OF INDIVIDUAL POWERBALL
TICKETS, AND I HONESTLY FELT SO
LUCKY THAT I DID LOOK AT THE
CAMERA AND I REALLY WANTED TO WINK AT IT BECAUSE I HAD THE
LUCKY FEELING. I KNOW THAT CINDY HAS SEEN IT,
AND SHE KNOWS I DID LOOK UP AT
THE CAMERA BECAUSE I DID FEEL
LUCKY. I DID A WINK, SO I’M KIND OF
DISAPPOINTED IN THAT. THAT IS ALL RIGHT. I DID STOP AT THE SPEEDWAY 13
MINUTES AFTER WORK, I DO NOT
KNOW IF I SAID THAT ARE --
OR NOT. HOW I ENDED UP FINDING OUT THAT
I ONE, ACTUALLY DO NOT WATCH THE
DRAWINGS AT NIGHTTIME AND I DID
NOT EVEN CHECK IN THE MORNING. I WENT TO WORK NOT EVEN KNOWING
ANY BETTER TO CHECK MY TICKETS. OH, BOY. I LEFT WORK THAT DAY AND OUR
MEMBER AT WORK HEARING THAT A
POWERBALL WINNER WAS IN
WISCONSIN AND I NEVER THOUGHT
TWO THINGS ABOUT IT. I GOT HOME AND I SEE THE TICKETS
THAT ME AND MY GIRLFRIEND HAD
BOUGHT TOGETHER AND THAT IS WHAT
REALLY REMINDED ME OF THE
POWERBALL. I WENT TO GRAB THE TWO TICKETS
THAT WE WENT TO GO BY TOGETHER
AND I WENT AND SEARCHED THE
POWERBALL NUMBERS, AND IT SAID A
WISCONSIN WINTER. AND I SAID, I LIVE IN WISCONSIN,
SO I HAVE A CHANCE. THAT IS ALL I KNEW. I WENT TO THE TICKETS THAT WE
HAD BOUGHT TOGETHER AND NOTHING,
SO I WAS DISAPPOINTED, AND I GO
INTO MY WALL AND I REACHED FOR
THE TICKETS THAT I HAD BOUGHT,
ALL OF THE INDIVIDUAL, AND I GO THROUGH THEM, AND I THINK IT WAS
THE THIRD TICKET, I DID WIN FOUR
DOLLARS. I WAS SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT. [LAUGHTER]
>> IT DOES NOT HAPPEN VERY
OFTEN. I NEVER CLAIMED THE FOUR DOLLARS
, BY THE WAY. I GET TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE
LAST TICKET AND DID NOT WIN. I HAD ALL OF THE TICKETS IN MY
LEFT HAND AND I SWAP THEM OVER
TO MY RIGHT BECAUSE I WAS
DISCARDING THEM AS I WENT, AND
ALL OF A SUDDEN AS I CHANGED
HAD -- HANDS, I SEE THE LAST TICKET COME OUT, AND I’M
THINKING, OH MY GOD, NO WAY. AS DRAMATICALLY AS I HAVE SAID
IT TO MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY, I
LOOKED AT IT ONE NUMBER AT A
TIME AND I SAW THE FIRST NUMBER
AND I DID NOT THINK ANYTHING OF
IT, BUT I KNEW WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL. I SEE THAT SECOND NUMBER AND MY
HEART STARTS TO PUMP, AND AT
THAT MOMENT, I AM LIKE NO
FREAKING WAY. I PULLED THAT TICKET IN FRONT OF
IT OFF AND I GO STRAIGHT TO THE
POWERBALL NUMBER AND I LOOK AT
IT, AND IT MATCHED. AT THIS MOMENT, I WAS GOING
INSANE, AND I LOOKED BACK AT THE
THREE OTHER NUMBERS AND THEY ALL
MATCHED, AND I DO NOT WANT TO
EMBARRASS MYSELF RIGHT NOW, BUT
WHAT I CAN EXPLAIN IS IT WAS AMAZING. MY HEART STARTED RACING AND
BLOOD FELT WARM, ICE CREAM FOR
ABOUT FIVE TO 10 MINUTES. GOOD THING MY NEIGHBORS DID NOT
HEAR. BUT IT IS REALLY AMAZING TO JUST
WIN -- I HAVE PLAYED POWERBALL
SINCE I WAS 18, 6 YEARS AGO. I AM 24. MY VERY FIRST BIRTHDAY WHEN I
WAS 18, I DID BUY A POWERBALL
TICKET SO IT IS GREAT ACTUALLY
WIN FOR ONCE. >> WHERE DO YOU WORK AND WHAT DO
YOU DO? >> WE WILL GET THE QUESTIONS IN
A LITTLE BIT, LET’S LET HIM
FINISH A STATEMENT P
LEAE. -- PLEASE. >> EVERYONE ALWAYS HOPES THAT
WHEN THEY BUY A TICKET, THEY
WIN, BUT I WAS NOT READY FOR IT. I GET THE PARANOIA THAT YOU GET
WHAT YOU THINK THE WHOLE WORLD
IS AFTER YOU, AND REALISTICALLY,
IF YOU DO NOT TELL ANYBODY,
NOBODY KNOWS, AND THAT IS HOW
I GOT TO HEAR. I AM NOT SURE WHAT THE NEXT
CHAPTER WILL BRING FROM MY LIFE,
BUT I HAVE BEEN SETTING UP THE
BEST FINANCIAL TEAM, LAWYER TEAM
THAT I COULD. I WANT TO THANK ANDREW HERE
BECAUSE HE MADE ME MUCH MORE
CONFIDENT IN MYSELF TO BE HERE
TO CLAIM THAT TICKET, AND
WITHOUT HIM I DO NOT THINK I
WOULD BE HERE TALKING. YEAH, IT IS AMAZING. IT FEELS LIKE A DREAM AND AT ANY
MOMENT, I AM GOING TO WAKE UP
AND BE BACK IN MY ROOM AND BED,
AND IT IS GOING TO BE A
DISAPPOINTMENT. I CAN SEE YOU ALL ARE HERE AND
IT IS NOT THAT WAY. [LAUGHTER]
MANUEL: I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT AN
ORDINARY GUY LIKE ME COULD EVER
WIN THE POWERBALL, TWO DOLLARS
YOU SPENT ON THE TICKET FOR THAT
HOPE THAT YOU WIN IS WORTH IT, AND I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I HAVE
ONE. IT IS REALISTICALLY WORTH IT AND
IT IS AMAZING. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND
THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT
MY STATEMENT. I WILL ANSWER A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS. >> COULD YOU SLEEP AT ALL LAST
NIGHT? >> I COULD NOT SLEEP. THREE HOURS TO FOUR HOURS A DAY,
THAT IS ABOUT IT. >> WHAT ARE THE FIRST THINGS YOU
PLAN ON DOING WITH THE MONEY? >> I AM NOT SURE, YEP. I DO KNOW
I WANT TO TAKE A BREAK. LET IT SINK IN, MAKE SURE I AM
NOT MAKING ANY BAD DECISIONS. I DO WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND
HELP OUT THE WORLD, BUT I HAVE
AND MAKE SURE
MY FUTURISTIC EAR. -- FUTURE IS SECURE. AFTER DISCUSSION, I WANTED TO
TAKE THE ANNUITY, BUT I HAVE
BEEN CONVINCED OTHERWISE SO I AM
TAKING THE LUMP SUM. >> I THINK WE ARE RELATED SO --
[LAUGHTER]
MANUEL: ARE WE? >> HAVE YOU HAD PEOPLE COME OUT
OF THE WOODWORK YET? >> I AM READY AND I KNOW HOW TO
SAY NO. BUT IF HE IS RELATED, AND HAVE
TO GIVE THEM SOMETHING. [LAUGHTER]
BUT I AM READY. >> WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? >> RIGHT NOW, I AM NOT GOING TO
DISCLOSE THAT. >> THE SECOND DAY OF WORK AFTER
I KNEW THAT I HAD WON, I
HONESTLY COULD NOT WORK. I WAS SWEATING SO MUCH. I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING, BUT I
KNEW THAT IT WAS A BAD DECISION
AND I PRETTY MUCH SHOWED --
NEVER SHOWED UP FOR WORK AGAIN. >> WHAT IS THE QUOTE UNQUOTE
NORMAL LIFE? >> AS MUCH AS I CAN, YEAH. THIS WAS MY TICKET, YES. SHE NORMALLY DOES NOT PLAY,
NORMALLY JUST A FIVE DOLLARS I
SPEND EVERY POWERBALL DRAWING,
SO I END UP SPENDING ABOUT $10 A
WEEK ON POWERBALL TICKETS OR
LOTTERY TICKETS. [INDISCERNIBLE]
>> TWO DAYS AFTER. >> WE ALL DREAM ABOUT WHAT WE
WILL DO IF WE WIN, WHAT WERE
YOUR DREAMS BEFORE YOU ONE? MANUEL: I REALLY WANTED TO
TRAVEL THE WORLD. I AM NOT GOING TO GO BUY FANCY
STUFF. WELL, I MIGHT GO BUY A FANCY
STUFF, BUT NOT BEING TOO BIG,
BUT YOU WILL NEVER SEE ME AS ONE
OF THE PEOPLE WHO WENT BANKRUPT
OR BROKE, I PLAN TO LIVE MY LIFE
NORMAL AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. >> ARE YOU A FATHER? >> NO. >> DO YOU SPEAK SPANISH? MANUEL: YES. [SPEAKING SPANISH CLOSE
-- [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> ARE YOU GOING TO GO ON ANY OF
THE REALITY TV SHOWS? >> I DON’T THINK SO. [LAUGHTER]
>> WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST MONEY
CONCERN BEFORE WINNING? MANUEL: TRYING TO GET THE BANK
ACCOUNT TO $1000. THAT WAS MY BIGGEST CONCERN. >> WHAT DID YOU DO FOR YOUR DAY
JOB? PAINTING, ENGINEER, OR WHAT? >> NOW. >> WERE YOU BORN OR RAISED IN
THE MARKET AREA? -- MILWAUKEE AREA? >> YES. I DO NOT KNOW MYSELF I’M GOING
TO STAY OR NOT. I WILL NOT DISCLOSE THAT. >> DO YOU WANT TO GET SOME
TICKETS TO THE PLAYOFF GAMES OF
THE BREWERS? >> ONE DAY. [LAUGHTER]
>> IS THIS YOUR ATTORNEY? >> ANDREW STOLDMAN. >> HOW LONG AFTER YOU GOT THE
TICKET DID YOU HIRE ANDRE
>> WHAT KINDS OF DREAMS HAVE YOU
BEEN HAVING ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN
DO? WHAT KINDS OF THINGS HAVE YOU
BEEN THINKING ABOUT -- IT IS
AMAZING TO BE IN YOUR POSITION. MANUEL: WHAT I HAVE BEEN
THINKING AS I WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT IF I AM HELPING OUT
SOMEONE, THAT MY MONEY IS
ACTUALLY GOING TO GO AND HELP
SOMEBODY. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE
OTHER CHARITIES, BUT I WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT I’M ACTUALLY
DOING THE DIFFERENCE. [INDISCERNIBLE]
MANUEL: POSSIBLY. IT IS SOMETHING I HAVE TO THINK
ABOUT, BUT I HAVE TO LET THE
MOMENT SINK IN, BUT I DO NOT
WANT TO MAKE ANY BAD DECISIONS. >> DO YOU PLAN TO PLAY ANYMORE? >> I DON’T PLAN TO PLAY ANYMORE,
NO. >> I WANTED TO AND THAT IS WHY I
LOOKED UP AND DID NOT DO IT. [INDISCERNIBLE]
>> MY DAD CRIED. MY MOM THOUGHT I WAS IN TROUBLE. SHE IS LIKE, YOU NEED TO TELL ME
THE TRUTH. AND I SAID, YES, THAT IS TRUE. >> DID YOU GO TO COLLEGE? >> I WILL NOT DISCLOSE. >> DO YOU HAVE PLANS FOR SCHOOL? >> FOR FAMILY MEMBERS, YES. I WILL HELP WITH EDUCATION. >> ARE YOU STILL DRIVING THE
SAME CAR? >> YES. >> I AM NOT GOING TO DISCLOSE
THAT EITHER. IT IS NEWISH. >> WHAT HAVE THE PAST THREE
WEEKS BEEN LIKE A WAY FROM THE
PUBLIC EYE? HAVE YOU BEEN ON THE EDGE? >> FOR SURE. I HONESTLY THOUGHT THERE WAS
SOMEONE BEHIND ME EVERY SINGLE
DAY. IT IS REALLY HARD TO LIVE YOUR
LIFE KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE THE
TICKET THAT EVERYONE WANTS, BUT
REALISTICALLY, THERE WAS NOBODY
BEHIND ME. I JUST FELT THAT WAY. >> HOW DID YOU CLAIM THE TICKET? >> I CAME HERE. >> JUST TODAY? >> I HAD MY ATTORNEY DEAL WITH
MOST OF THAT. TERRY: WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING
WITH THE TICKET SINCE YOU
REALIZED AND YOU LOOKED AT IT
AND YOU HAD ONE? CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOU DID TO
SECURE IT? MANUEL: TO BRING IT HERE? TERRY: YES, WHERE HAS THE TICKET
BEEN? MANUEL: I KEPT IT IN A SAFE. >> WHICH IS WHERE? [LAUGHTER]
MANUEL: SOMEWHERE. [INDISCERNIBLE]
>> WAS THIS MONEY YOU THOUGHT
YOU COULD EVER HAVE ON YOUR OWN
WITHOUT THE LOTTERY? MANUEL: NO, GOD NO. I NEEDED THE LOTTERY’S HELP. I AM GOING TO ENTER ONE MORE
QUESTION AND THAT’S IT. TERRY: WHAT IS THE NEXT THING
YOU ARE GOING TO DO WHEN YOU
WALK OUT TODAY AS PART OF YOUR
WINNING? MANUEL: I AM GOING TO TAKE OFF
SOMEWHERE AND JUST HONESTLY TAKE
MY TIME WITH IT, THINK IT OVER,
TALK TO MY FAMILY, AND JUST MAKE
SURE I AM DOING IT AND SPENDING
THE
