North Carolina man plans to surprise family with $780,000 lottery prize

May 29 (UPI) -- A North Carolina man devised a plan to surprise his family with a $780,000 lottery prize after quietly picking up his winnings.

Sammie Brunson of Laurinburg, N.C., won a $786,757 prize in the state's Carolina Cash $1 Quick Pick game, but didn't let anyone know about it prior to traveling to Raleigh to claim the prize.

"I'm keeping it a secret," Brunson said. "I haven't told anyone. Not my wife, not my mom, not my sister, not anybody. I'm excited to surprise them."

Brunson said he bought the ticket for the May 23 drawing and was able to check his numbers at 2 a.m. the next morning during his overtime shift at Plastex Fabricators.

"I checked the numbers on my phone," he said. "When I saw I had won, I stayed calm. I just put the ticket back in my pocket. But I had to keep pulling out my phone to check again and again!"

After receiving the windfall, Brunson said he plans to purchase a new home and help out his family in other ways.

"I'm working 12 hour days to help my family," he said. "I want them to know no matter what happens, I've got them. This money will move us all somewhere nice, pay some bills and buy a new truck for my mom."