Clarkston woman facing homelessness wins lottery jackpot of $25,000 per year for life

Shawna Donnelly buys winning ticket at 7-Eleven store

A Clarkston woman said she won a lottery jackpot when she really needed it. (WDIV)

CLARKSTON, Mich. – A Clarkston woman was facing homelessness until she won $25,000 a year for life playing Lucky For Life through the Michigan Lottery.

Shawna Donnelly, 50, matched the five white balls drawn Jan. 15 -- 11-15-32-33-40 -- to win the big prize. She bought her winning ticket at the 7-Eleven at 7743 Sashabaw Road in Clarkston.

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"I woke up in the middle of the night and had a feeling I should check my tickets," Donnelly said. "When I saw I matched five numbers, I must have refreshed my phone 100 times to make sure I really won.

"The last year has been the most difficult of my life. I've been taking care of my mom full-time, and it's hard to make ends meet. Winning this prize couldn't have come at a better time."

Donnelly visited lottery headquarters Monday to claim her prize. She chose to receive her winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $390,000, rather than annuity payments for 20 years or life, whichever is greater.

With her winnings, Donnelly plans to buy a new home and car, then save the remainder.


About the Author:

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.