Couple claims $14 million Florida Lotto jackpot

They called themselves the "Jackson Lazy Eight Trust" but it's really just a nice middle-aged couple from North Miami Beach that doesn't want publicity after winning $14 million.

When they checked their Florida Lotto tickets from the Nov. 13 drawing, Norman Randall Jackson, 61, and Frances Donnerstein Jackson, 53, of North Miami Beach had a pleasant surprise: their usual combination of birthdays and special numbers was a winner.

So, like most winners, they took their time figuring out what to do, and put together a group of people they trust, including accountant Phillip Allan Disque, 58, of Fort Lauderdale.

Friday Florida Lottery officials announced that Disque is the trustee of the "Lazy Eight Trust" and the Jacksons are beneficiaries. They took the one-time lump-sum payment of $8,559,296.67.

The idea was to not get their names out there. I contacted the Jacksons Friday night (thanks to our researcher Barbara Hijek), and, while they didn't want to be quoted, they were very civil about it. My take is they are like a lot of winners, who are concerned about a.) being a target for scams and crime; b.) a barrage of people and causes asking for money, even if you're already active in such things and c.) being treated by friends and relatives differently "now that they're rich." Over the years of following this, I find a.) and b.) to be concerns that aren't as great as winners fear and c.) is something you really can't control.

I was able to glean that they are pretty much everyday people who saved for retirement and played the lottery a little bit for recreation. So it's a case where you can say "good for them."

What about Lazy Eight Trust? Well if you think of the infinity mark, it's really the number eight on its side, i.e., a "lazy eight." I think it's an inside family joke.

The winning ticket was purchased from Stop N Shop, located at 5665 N.W. 36th St. in Miami Springs. The retailer received $45,000 for selling the jackpot-winning ticket.

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