Kentucky School Bus Driver Retires Happily as $100,000 Powerball Winner

Louisville, Kentucky -A heartwarming story unfolds in Louisville as James Keown, a dedicated school bus driver for Jefferson County Public Schools for 11 years, officially retired after discovering his incredible $100,000 win on a Kentucky Lottery Powerball ticket.

James Keown Bids Farewell to His Job After an Unexpected Windfall

"I called my boss on Sunday, and I told him, 'I hit the lottery, and I'm not coming back.'? I loved my job, but I'd been thinking about retiring for a while," shared the jubilant Keown.

The winning Powerball ticket was purchased from the Circle K store on Galene Drive in Louisville for the August 19 drawing. This fortunate ticket matched four white ball numbers and the Powerball, securing the game's standard $50,000 prize. However, James Keown decided to add the Power Play feature, which multiplied his winnings by the Power Play number drawn, resulting in a total prize of $100,000.

The next morning, Keown checked the numbers on his phone and couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that all but one number matched. "I looked at it four times? that number's got to change, but it didn't," Keown humorously remarked. "I thought I better see what I won. The first time, I saw I won $50,000, and then I thought, wait a minute, I play the multiplier all the time. So, I went back, and the multiplier was 2," he explained.

Excitedly, Keown shared the incredible news with his wife, Monta, who was initially concerned when he asked her to call him urgently. "We had just gotten off the phone, and then he texted for me to call him as soon as I could. I panicked thinking something was wrong," Monta recalled. "He told me, 'I just paid off my bills.' I said, 'You did what?' 'I just paid off my bills. I just won $100,000!'"

Monta expressed her excitement, saying, "I'm just over the moon and excited for him." Keown and his wife claimed the prize the Monday following the Powerball drawing, receiving a check for $71,500 after taxes.

The generous couple shared their plans with lottery officials, indicating their intention to support local kitten and cat rescue shelters, as they have a soft spot for disabled cats. They also plan to use some of their winnings to acquire lake property, embracing the opportunity to enjoy a new chapter in life together.

In addition to bringing joy to the Keown family, Circle K, the store where the winning ticket was sold, will receive $1,000 as a retailer's bonus for their part in this heartwarming story of unexpected fortune.

James Keown's retirement marks the beginning of an exciting new journey, filled with opportunities to make a difference in the lives of both animals and themselves. It's a reminder that life can change in the most unexpected and wonderful ways, all thanks to a lottery ticket.