WASHINGTON — With the combined Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots totaling over $1 billion, we asked the question on our Facebook page: What would you do if you won the lottery?
Our readers and listeners daydreamed of the possibilities and shared their answers with us. The replies ranged anywhere from heartwarming to hilarious, so we’ve decided to highlight a few of our favorites.
On our Facebook page, several people said they’d get take their winnings and get off the grid.
Karen Francella said she would “Disappear with no forwarding address.”
Adriana Toth says she’ll “keep my mouth shut.” It’s hard for second and third cousins to come out of the woodwork looking for loans if they don’t know you struck it rich, right?
But we have to give this disclaimer: Keep it legal.
“My husband says he’d immediately and intentionally wrap his car around a pole so he could buy his dream car,” said Deborah Ramirez Mannino. But insurance companies frown upon that sort of thing, so she balanced it out by keeping her own intentions pure.
“I am committed to buying absolutely nothing for one year while we accumulate plenty of interest to live on. Maybe just maybe, one of us will get the chance to stick to our plan,” she said.
The answers were a tad more tender on our Talkback line.
Marv Reid said, “I’d set up a family trust, travel to Vanuatu and New Zealand. Upon returning, I would dedicate the rest of my life to ending childhood hunger and cancer, donating time and money.”
Shirley in Friendship Heights was also as charitable: “I will give a large chunk to the (National) Multiple Sclerosis Society to help people in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. with their rent, food and someone to help take care of them.”
