Cambodian refugees in Canada wins hospitals' Dream Lottery to become instant millionaire

Couple who fled war wins hospitals' Dream Lottery

Thu, June 26, 2008
By JOE MATYAS, SUN MEDIA
The London Free Press (Ontario, Canada)

A couple who fled the killing fields of Cambodia more than two decades ago became instant millionaires today when they won the London hospitals Dream Lottery.

Vorn Mak and his wife Soeur Nhek said they were speechless when notified by telephone that they had won the $1.3 million grand prize. After the news sunk in, “we’re were jumping up and down” with joy and hugging each other, she said.

Vorn Mak has worked as a cleaner at the downtown Hilton Hotel for about 15 years and Soeur Nhek works as a Pennysaver flyer inserter at the London Free Press.

The couple came to London as refugees about 21 years ago after fleeing the violence of the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia.

“The war was very bad and we were lucky to get away from it,” Von Mak said.

The couple won a grand prize that included a $650,000 Wasko home in the Buttonbush subdivision near Colonel Talbot and Southdale roads, $204,000 in furniture, appliances and electronic goods and a $55,000 BMW vehicle.

But they said they’ve chosen the cash option of $1.1 million, the largest cash prize in the history of the charity lottery that supports the London Health Sciences Centre, St. Joseph’s Health Care and Children’s Health Foundation.

The winners said they were going to take their time to decide what to do with the money before they make any life-changing decisions.

Rita Fieder, Dream Lottery coordinator said “it has been a very good year for the lottery. We’ve raised more than $1 million for the hospitals.”

For the latest local coverage, read The London Free Press on the web or in print.

To subscribe to the print edition, click on our subscription page.

Joe Matyas is a Free Press reporter.

Cambodian-American brothers will $1 million jackpot in Georgia lottery

Samoeun Am holds a ceremonial check for $1 million from the Georgia Lottery. His brother Samoeuth Am actually bought the ticket and had the payout put in Samoeun Am's name. The Jacksonville brothers aren't getting $1 million in a lump sum, however. The payout will come in $50,000 a year increments over the next 20 years. TERRY DICKSON/The Times-Union
Samoeuth Am drove from Jacksonville earlier this month to buy a lottery ticket at the El Cheapo gas station on Georgia 40. He bought a $1 million winning scratch-off ticket from the cubby hole at the bottom left. TERRY DICKSON/The Times-Union

More than scratching a brother's back

The Jacksonville siblings win $1 million in Georgia's $500 Million Club game.

1/14/2008
By Gordon Jackson
The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, Florida, USA)

KINGSLAND - With a few scratches, brothers Samoeun and Samoeuth Am have achieved a lofty goal only dreamed about by most Americans.

On Jan. 4, Samoeuth Am drove from his Jacksonville home to the El Cheapo gas station on Georgia 40 in Kingsland to buy some Georgia Lottery tickets. Among them was a Georgia's $500 Million Club ticket with a top prize of $1 million.

Am, who is unemployed, said he scratched off the ticket, which costs $20, near the cash register and stared at the ticket in disbelief.

"I kept checking to see if it was the right number," Am said.

Lalu Patel, the store manager, said he watched as Am discovered he had just bought a ticket with the top prize. Unlike tickets drawn with the top prize in the state's twice weekly Georgia Lottery, store owners don't get a cash award for selling the winning ticket.

"It's a scratch-off," Patel said. "We get nothing. But it's really good advertising for the store."

Patel predicted more customers will buy tickets from his store as word spreads his store sold a $1 million winner.

Although he bought the winner, Am gave it to his brother to turn into Georgia Lottery officials to collect the prize of $50,000 a year for the next 20 years. He was awarded his first $50,000 check Monday from Georgia Lottery officials, who traveled to the store where the winning ticket was purchased.

Samoeun Am, an employee at a Jacksonville-based restaurant supply company, said he has no plans to quit his job. The two brothers said they plan to use their winnings to get a loan for a new house.

Samoeuth Am said he also plans a vacation to his native Cambodia this year.

The brothers are also joined by Robert Clark as the Jacksonville area's newest millionaires. Clark, of Orange Park, recently won $1 million in the Florida Lottery's Millionaire Raffle.

Clark could not be reached for comment Monday.