MIDALE - Garnath and Vernelle Rasmuson are new to being millionaires.
After winning a little more than $1 million on the Jan. 3 Western Max draw, the Midale pair said it feels like a “sigh of relief”.
“I usually play [Western Max] twice a week,” said Garnath. “I like the chance – it’s always just a chance.”
“This time, I had gone to get the mail and went across the street to check the tickets,” he continued. “I just handed [the clerk] the tickets and it came up a winner.”
Garnath was eager to share the news with his wife.
“He came home and said to me, ‘I’m going to retire – I won the lottery,’” Vernelle laughed. “I asked him how much, and he said, ‘$10… with a bunch of zeroes behind it!”
“I was in tears,” Vernelle said, continuing. “I still don’t believe it.”
The windfall means more than a new car or vacation for the Rasmusons.
“We will be debt-free for the first time in our lives,” Garnath said. “Since I was 18, there hasn’t been a time where I haven’t had a vehicle or house payment.”
“We have six grandkids,” added Vernelle. “It’ll make it easier to spend time with them.”
The couple is also excited to do some home renovations to their basement and focus on time together.
“It’s a sigh of relief,” Garnath said. “You wonder if you’ll ever be able to retire and this takes some of the guesswork out of it.”
“I’m happy and relieved for him,” Vernelle added. “Now he can retire. He can take a step back and enjoy life while we’re in good health.”
The Rasmusons purchased their winning Western Max ticket from the Midale Variety Store at 231 Main Street in Midale. They won one of the million-dollar additional prize draws by matching the numbers in the Jan. 3 draw: 1, 12, 14, 18, 27, 37 and 43.
