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First Winner Claims Share of $100 Million Florida Lotto Jackpot

A Marco Island financial adviser, mostly used to handling millions of dollars for other people, will get some experience doing it for himself and his family. Today he became the first to claim his one-fourth share of the estimated $100 million Florida Lotto jackpot from the Dec. 14, 2002, drawing. The Bonifay, Fort Pierce and Jacksonville winning tickets from that drawing have not yet been redeemed.

David L. Rush, Sr., 71, a former White House TV news reporter and now a financial adviser, chartered an airplane and flew to Tallahassee this morning to claim his prize at Florida Lottery Headquarters. David could have received his winnings in 30 annual installments of approximately $873,000(1) per year, but instead chose one lump-sum of $14,281,243.70.

"I have managed lots of big money for other people," David said. "This is the first time I have handled this much of my own money!"

David, however, said he does not expect the money to change his life very much. "I have been doing everything I want to do already," he said. "I'm doing all the things retired people do and I have a purpose in life because I have my work, too. I had not planned to retire, and I don't plan to now."

While not planning very much for themselves, David and his wife have already set up accounts to pay for college educations for their grandchildren and great grandchild. They will also provide his three adult children with their inheritance now, instead of later, and will make donations to his church and selected charities.

Total ticket sales for this jackpot generated approximately $68 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund for Florida's schools.

David bought his lucky ticket at the Kwik Stop Food Store, located at 1767 San Marco Road on Marco Island. The store will receive a one-fourth portion of the $10,000 retailer bonus for selling the winning jackpot ticket. The winning numbers for the December 14, 2002 drawing are: 06 - 14 - 18 - 36 - 39 - 45.

David said he has played Lotto almost every week since it began in 1988, using essentially the same numbers. Since Saturday's jackpot was so high, however, he bought an additional 10 tickets and selected these numbers using the Lottery's quick pick system.

"The winner was the next to the last one," he said.

David said he found out he was the winner when reports that a jackpot-winning ticket was sold in Marco Island prompted him to check the newspaper.

"I was amazingly calm," David said. "When I convinced my wife we had won, she was appropriately hysterical."

"I'm here claiming the money, but my wife is at home waiting to spend it," he said.

His attorneys, Glenn Tucker and Donald (Dusty) Rhodes, and Rhodes's wife, Nancy Rhodes, accompanied David.

David said there was a "conspiracy of silence" among the five people who knew he was the winner. "As small as Marco Island is, all you would have to do is tell one other person and everyone on the island would know."

David is the 6th Florida Lotto winner either to reside in, or to purchase a winning ticket in, Collier County and the 705th Florida Lotto winner to win at least $1 million since 1988.

The jackpot for tonight's (Wednesday's) Florida Lotto drawing is estimated at $3 million! The drawing will be broadcast live on 13 television stations statewide at 11 p.m. EST.

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