The California Lottery has announced the winners of the $1.765 billion Powerball jackpot, with a ticket sold at a local convenience store. "Theodorus Struyck represents the group of winners who bought that ticket at Midway Market in Frazier Park ahead of the historic draw back in October of last year," the lottery stated in a press release published on March 15, 2024.

The names of the other group members may also be made public. As USA Today reminds us, in California, lottery winners are not permitted to claim prizes anonymously. While other winners have yet to come forward, Struyck has disclosed his identity, according to the lottery.

Theodorus Struyck, known as Theo, a 65-year-old grandfather, regularly visited Midway Market & Liquors, where the winning ticket was sold on October 11, 2023, to buy snacks and participate in the lottery, The Sun reports. Friends and neighbors describe him as a humble family man.

"When I heard Theo won, I thought, 'Couldn't have happened to a better guy,'" Kevin Woten, one of Struyck's neighbors, shared with The Daily Mail. "He's a family man, loves spending time with his grandkids. He adores the kids. He's genuinely kind and always seems happy. I imagine he's got a lot of ideas on how he wants to spend the money."

Living in the serene mountainside town, Struyck enjoyed fishing and had a small boat parked outside his garage, according to neighbors.

"Announcing big wins like this gives all of our players the chance to hope and dream that they could be next," said California Lottery Director Harjinder K. Shergill Chima in the press release.

This jackpot was the second largest in U.S. lottery history, following the record-breaking $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot of 2022, also won in California.