July 23 (UPI) — A birthday celebration turned into a life-changing moment for a Des Moines man who won $100,000 from a scratch-off lottery ticket given to him by a friend.
Christian Johnson said he was marking his 42nd birthday with close friends when he opened a greeting card that contained a few lottery tickets.
He handed one to his girlfriend to finish scratching — and moments later, she was calling for his attention.
“She just kept saying, ‘You have to see this! Look at it!’” Johnson recalled. “At first, I didn’t believe it. I thought, ‘This has to be a prank — no way this is real.’”
The winning ticket, a $100,000 Mega Crossword, was bought by his friend Diana Ballentine at Best Food Mart on East 14th Street in Des Moines.
“I still don’t think it’s fully sunk in,” Johnson said. “I was completely stunned. I barely slept last night thinking about coming down to claim it.”
While he hasn’t made any definite plans for the prize money yet, Johnson said it brings a sense of relief and good timing.
“It couldn’t have come at a better time,” he said. “It truly feels like a blessing.”
Published: 23 July 2025