A Californian grandfather whose lottery syndicate won $1.57 billion has been pictured for the first time, with neighbors saying it ‘couldn’t have happened to a better guy’.
Theodorus Struyck, 65, was identified in a press release by the California Lottery as the representative of the group of winners who bought the ticket at Frazier Park.
The group walked away with $1.765 billion after the draw last October, making it the second largest lottery jackpot in US history.
Struyck, who is also known as Theo, is originally from Hawaii and retired after working for UPS.
He lives in the town of 3,000 people in a 1,176-square-foot single-family home with his wife Laura, having lived there for at least a decade.
Theodorus Struyck, 65, was identified in a press release by the California Lottery as the representative of the group of winners who bought the ticket at Frazier Park
The group walked away with $1.765 billion after the draw last October, making it the second-largest lottery jackpot in US history
Neighbor Kevin Woten, who has lived in Frazier Park for more than 20 years, said he hasn’t seen Struyck in days.
“When I heard Theo won, I thought, ‘It couldn’t have happened to a better guy,'” Woten said.
‘He is a family man, loves to spend time with his grandchildren. He adores the children. He is a really friendly person and always seems happy. I imagine he has a lot of ideas about what he wants to do with the money.’
He said the last long conversation he had with Struyck was after the recent devastating fires in Maui.
Woten believes Struyck had no family directly affected by the fires, but the native Hawaiian was distraught over the lives lost and the destruction.
Sturyck has a son in the US Marines and is based out of San Diego, where the ticket was redeemed.
He is also said to be a keen fisherman, with a small boat seen parked in front of his garage.
Neighbor Mary Dreier said she hasn’t seen him in a few days. She said: ‘He is a really lovely person and is enjoying his retirement.
‘I knew the winner had claimed the ticket in San Diego, which was very clever. Kudos to him!’
Another neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said all the media attention has driven Struyck away from the quiet mountain town.
He lives in the town of 3,000 people in a 1,176-square-foot single-family home, seen here, with his wife Laura, after living there for at least a decade
Since the win, a private property notice has been posted on the home he shares with his wife
Midway Market, a family-owned business in town, had sold the ticket to the syndicate
Owner, Nidal ‘Andy’ Khalil, told DailyMail.com that Struyck comes to his shop at least two or three times a week
The last time she saw him was five days ago when he put up a curfew.
Midway Market, a family-owned business in town, had sold the ticket to the syndicate.
Owner, Nidal ‘Andy’ Khalil, told DailyMail.com that Struyck comes to his shop at least two or three times a week.
He said Struyck came to the store Thursday, but he has yet to congratulate him in person.
Khalil said when no one had come forward for five months, he was afraid the ticket had been lost.
“I was sure someone locally had bought the ticket and I’m so glad they did,” Khalil told DailyMail.com.
Jonathan Khalil, left, and Chris Khalil, sons of store co-owners, hold up a ceremonial check after the winning $1.765 billion Powerball ticket was sold
Neighbors of Struyck have told DailyMail.com they are delighted the grandfather describes him as ‘a really lovely family man’
The winning numbers were: 22, 24, 40, 52, 64 and Powerball 10
‘I’m very glad someone finally claimed the prize because I thought the ticket might have been lost or the winner washed it in their laundry.
‘I don’t get that many customers from out of town, so I thought it would be someone local.’
Khalil added that he is glad the winners finally came forward after the October drawing made national headlines.
Khalil and his family also received $1 million for selling the winning ticket, he said things in the sleepy town of about 3,100 have returned to normal.
California Lottery Director Harjinder K. Shergill Chima said: ‘Announcing big wins like this gives all our players the chance to hope and dream that they could be next.
“But it also gives us an opportunity to focus on our amazing mission, which is to generate additional, supplemental funding for public education in California.”
The huge payout is the second largest lottery prize in US history behind Edwin Castro’s $2.04 billion Powerball win in California in November 2022.
Castro has made a series of lavish property purchases, fueling speculation about who the country’s latest billionaire lottery winner might be.
He is currently embroiled in a dispute over the ownership of the ticket, with Jose Rivera claiming he won it and Castro stole the ticket.
Castro took the lump sum option after winning $2.04 billion in November 2022, bringing the total down to $997 million after taxes.