This happened how long ago?
This happened October 27 was the drawing.
October 28 is when I realized that I was a millionaire.
Yeah, yeah.
More than a millionaire.
Yeah.
And your story is, you know, you grew up really with no money.
And so this is who you hope is going to win the lottery,
is someone like you that really deserves it.
And you're a single mom, which is really tough.
OK, so tell everyone how you found out you were the winner.
OK, so-- do you want me start on day one--
Yeah.
--when I bought the ticket?
Yes, for sure.
So I was able to buy my first home ever.
And it was the Friday before the drawing,
and the movers had just left my house
and my sister was coming up to help me unpack.
So I said to her, I'm hungry, my car is full of stuff.
Will you take me up to Casey's to get some coffee
and a slice of pizza?
So--
Casey's is, like, a general store like a--
Yeah.
It's a gas station.
You know, a lot of the small towns there have a Casey store.
OK.
So we go up there, and I get my coffee
and I get my slice of pizza.
And I'm like, oh yeah, and I'd like my lottery tickets too.
So got my lottery ticket--
Did you pick the numbers yourself?
I did not pick them.
You just asked them-- yeah.
I got an easy pick.
It's always been my thought that if I'm going to win--
if I'm meant to win it, I'm going
to win it no matter how many tickets I buy or, you know,
I just--
just let it happen.
Trust the machine.
Yup.
OK, all right.
So then you buy that, and then the drawing is the next day?
Yes.
OK, and then how did you find out you won?
So I was going to let a friend's dog out,
and she texted me and she said, did you win the lottery?
And I said, I don't know.
I said, I'm on my way to let your dog out.
When I get there I'll check my tickets.
And I got there, and I went to check my ticket,
and I didn't have any tickets.
And I thought, OK, they're at home in the moving mess.
So on my way home I called my sister and I said,
you know, so-and-so-- she called me
and said that somebody from Iowa won the lottery.
And she said, funny you mention that.
She said your tickets are in my truck.
And so I said, go out and check them for me.
I said the Powerball is four.
And she said, oh my God, Lerynne.
The Powerball is four.
And I said, no way.
And she said, yeah.
So I said, send me a picture.
So she sent me a picture, and I went to ialottery.com
and I entered the date and the numbers.
And when you get a number right it comes up in red.
And nothing was in red.
And in fact, I had entered the wrong date.
So I fixed the date, and so all the numbers came up in red.
And it said jackpot.
And I thought, well, I've done something wrong again.
So I started going through, you know,
going back and forth with the picture of the ticket
and what the ialottery.com and I'm like, oh my God.
I said, you get in your truck, and get that ticket up here now
and drive slow.
[LAUGHTER]
I didn't want any accident.
No, no.
Or it flying out the window or anything.
OK, so you've received the money yet?
Yes, I have received the money.
I had to go to my wealth manager's office
last week to sign papers and--
You already had a wealth manager?
That's new to me.
And you started a foundation, right?
I did.
I started the Callum Foundation.
You know when I won the lottery I thought
I have a responsibility to do good for other people
and to help other people out as well.
The Callum Foundation is named after my grandson who was born
at 24 weeks and lived one day.
So it's named after him to honor his memory.
The fact that you can do that, I mean,
that obviously was a very difficult thing
to happen to your daughter--
I guess?
Yes, it was my daughter.
And-- but the fact that you now have this money
to start a foundation in his name.
Yes.
Yeah, so now you have an announcement today.
I have a huge announcement today.
I'm very excited to announce the Travis Mills Foundation has
had a very special place in my heart
because my dad was a Vietnam vet,
I come from a long line of people
who have served in the military-- three
of my brothers.
And I think it's very important to me
that we never forget the sacrifices
that our soldiers and their families make for our country.
So today, I would like to make a commitment
to giving the Travis Mills Foundation
a check for $500,000.
[APPLAUSE]
Isn't it amazing?
That's incredible.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
You're so sweet.
Thank you so much.
It's an amazing gift.
All right.
So we thought we should spread the luck because you
were a very, very lucky person.
And so I just want to keep touching you.
[LAUGHTER]
I've never been lucky before.
The luckiest we got was my brother won a cakewalk in 1976.
Well, you don't need any more luck after this.
And you're doing great things with the money.
But tonight there's a Powerball worth $100 million--
that's the jackpot.
So we thought that we would spread the luck here.
So everyone in the audience is getting a lottery ticket and--
[APPLAUSE]