When $315 Million isn't enough...

I just got done reading a very sad, bewildering article about a Powerball winner who's life was turned upside down (and not in a good way) after winning the lottery in 2002.

The article, Winner reflects on nightmare lottery can be found on CNNMoney.com.

The most suprising thing about the article is that Jack Whittaker - the winner, was already a self-made millionaire prior to winning the power-ball lottery. He had businesses worth a total of $17 million before he struck the $315 million dollar jackpot.

Just a few of the bad things that happened after his brush with 'good luck' are as follows:

• "I don't have any friends," he said in a lengthy interview with The Associated Press.
• His home and car were repeatedly burglarized.
• At a strip club, thieves broke into his Lincoln Navigator and stole a briefcase stuffed with $245,000 in $100 bills and three $100,000 cashiers checks.
• Whittaker was charged twice with driving while under the influence
• Sued repeatedly, once by three female casino employees who accused him of assault.
• In all, Whittaker says, he's been involved in 460 legal actions since winning.

• Jack fell in love with Jewell when he was in eighth grade and she was in seventh. The couple filed divorce papers three years ago but have yet to sign them.
  "I don't know any normal person who could have a marriage with everything that's been written about me that's not true," Whittaker said.

• The couple's daughter, Ginger McMahan, has battled cancer for years. The disease is in remission, though she remains in poor health.
• Before Powerball, Whittaker and his wife went to church together. These days, he seldom does."It's just aggravating, you know. People come up and ask you for money all the time, tell you some kind of a sob story."

Of his prized granddaughter Brandi Bragg, Whittaker says:

"She was going to inherit everything," Whittaker said. "Everything that we have was built in a way that it went to her on her 21st birthday."

She never saw that day, dying at 17 after struggling with drug addiction.

Bottom line, the phrase "be careful what you wish for" is not just a random juxtaposing of words.