Jack Whittaker faced similar decisions in 2002 when he won Powerball’s $314 million jackpot ($113 million after taxes). At the time, it was the largest jackpot ever won by a single ticket. But the lottery changed Whittaker’s life and within a few years, the West Virginia construction contractor faced personal loss and tragedy. This article originally appeared in The Washington Post Magazine on Jan. 30, 2005.

It was coming up on Christmas, and Brenda-the-biscuit-lady was inexplicably happy as she walked to work in the predawn darkness. Brenda didn't just make biscuits over at the C&L Super Serve for $6 an hour. She served up good cheer.

"How you doin', honey?" she'd greet customers, with such enthusiasm that they had no choice but to smile back.

"Dad-gonnit, you are growing up on me!" she'd call to schoolchildren, just to see them grin. "What grade you in now?"

At 39, Brenda Higginbotham didn’t have much to show for a lifetime of good cheer. No car. No home. No picture-book Christmas on the horizon. In spite of that, in spite of everything, she had a sense of her place in the world as unsullied as a holiday snowfall before folks trample it ugly, like folks do. That abiding sense was Brenda’s gift.

"What do you need, dear?" she'd ask a weary workman eyeing her hot-food carryout case. For a moment, Brenda could make the man with chapped hands and muddy boots feel like somebody was looking after him.

"You want a roll with that, baby?" she'd say, smiling even bigger.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2018/10/24/jack-whittaker-powerball-lottery-winners-life-was-ruined-after-m-jackpot/?tid=pm_pop&noredirect=on