A Warrenton man who has fought skin and brain cancer won a $1 million Powerball prize on Saturday, according to the Oregon Lottery.
Aaron Bendickson, 48, was medically retired from the United States Army after being diagnosed with skin cancer at age 23, according to the lottery. He has also battled brain cancer.
Bendickson quit smoking in 2022 and spent his previous cigarette money on Scratch-its and rapid pick-draw games. He had no idea he had won such a large sum of money until he scanned his ticket at the Main Street Market, where he played often.
Bendickson intends to buy a new home and surprise his son by paying off his car debt, according to lottery officials.
Last month, Gov. Tina Kotek signed a bill into law that will make all state lottery winners secret unless they opt to have their names revealed. The anonymity clause takes effect later this year.
Last year, The Oregonian/OregonLive examined lottery data, including winners’ names, and discovered that millions of dollars in winnings had either flowed to an Australian business or been rerouted to local opportunists who purchased scores of winning tickets from the true owners at a discount, claiming the full prizes for themselves.
