Farrah McKinney
HER STORY
BY SHEILA DECHANTAL
On June 30, 1999, 21-year-old Farrah Slad had
finished her work shift for the day and was looking forward to a quiet evening at her apartment with her roommate. There were only two weeks left before their lease was up and Farrah had yet to go look for other options for housing. When her parents called and invited her over for dinner, initially Farrah turned them down, and then later changed her mind.
She had to stop and get gas for her 1991 Acura and with only $20, she put $15 of gas in her car and used her last $5 to purchase five Powerball tickets, using the random pick option. Farrah did not normally play the lottery, but the jackpot at that time, $150 million, was exceptionally high and she thought why not? It can’t hurt to try. After dinner, Farrah stayed to watch a movie (Austin Powers International Man of Mystery). Her parents had also purchased a few lottery tickets so Farrah’s mom had recorded the news as they watched the movie. After the movie ended they watched the recording of the winning numbers together. As the numbers came across the screen, Farrah watched in amazement as number after number showed up on her ticket, even the Powerball number, although at first look, Farrah did not think she had it. Shakily, Farrah handed the ticket to her dad to verify. Together the family agreed it looked as though she had won. Her life as she knew it had just changed forever. Farrah laughs as she recalls, “We did not know if the numbers had to be in a certain order. We really didn’t know anything other than we believed my ticket had won something.” That night, Farrah and her family drove to the gas station where she had bought the ticket, looking for more information; however, the station did not have the winning numbers yet. There was nothing more they could do besides wait for morning. Too nervous and excited to go home, Farrah stayed at her parents’ that night. She remembers they placed the winning ticket in a Ziploc bag and then inside a Kleenex box to keep it safe while they waited. 26 her her voice voice || Winter Winter 2017 2017 •• Share Share your your voice voice with with us us on on Facebook Facebook 26
PHOTOS BY JOEY HALVORSON