A Jacksonville woman says winning half a million dollars in the N.C. Education Lottery didn’t make her jump for joy at first—it actually left her feeling like a total zombie. Rosa Fiame said she froze the moment lottery officials called to tell her she hit big in a “second-chance” promotion, where losing tickets get another shot.
“I was walking around like a zombie. I couldn’t sleep for days—I was so happy,” she shared.
But while Fiame was stunned, her family brought the noise. She says her house filled with screaming, celebrating, and nonstop laughing once the news hit.
Fiame claimed her prize on December 9 at the lottery headquarters in Raleigh. After taxes, she took home $358,750. Her lucky break came from entering a $50 ticket from the $10 Million Spectacular game into the December 3 second-chance drawing, which had more than 1.2 million entries.
What she plans to do with her winnings might be the most heartwarming part. Fiame says she’ll be doubling her usual holiday donations to 21 different charities this year.
A few standout moments:
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⭐ Won $500,000 in a second-chance drawing
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⭐ More than 1.2 million entries
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⭐ Donating to 21 charities—double the usual amount
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⭐ Jacksonville is roughly 120 miles southeast of Raleigh
As she put it, “Every time you win, you got to share. It’s not your money to keep.”
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