Life’s twists can catapult the most unassuming individuals into the spotlight – and Tayeb Souami certainly fits that bill.
The father found himself trending across social platforms in recent days as people unravelled a remarkable event from six years prior.
Below we delve into the incredible situation where Tayeb went from taking back an “expensive” orange juice to suddenly becoming a multi-millionaire.
Who is Tayeb Souami?
Originating from Africa (though he never specified his country), Tayeb put down roots in Little Ferry, New Jersey. Since 1996, alongside his wife, he nurtured two children there.
An accountant by profession within a food importing firm, he had just remortgaged his home days before an unforeseen moment of luck. The remortgage was crucial for his daughter’s college expenses; she was 17 at that time.
Orange juice
Merely a week post-home refinancing, 55-year-old Tayeb, on May 19, 2018, picked up a $5 orange juice carton (approx £3.80) at ShopRite in Hackensack, New Jersey.
However, costing more than his wife fancied – she pointed out it was selling for half the price elsewhere – and given their stretched budget, she insisted on its return.
In a twist of fate, after returning an item to the store and receiving a refund, Tayeb noticed a Powerball lottery sign and decided to purchase two tickets with the returned money. Without giving it much thought, he went to bed that night without checking the winning numbers.
The following day, before heading to a car wash, Tayeb remembered his lottery tickets and stopped by a 7-Eleven to scan them. The first ticket didn’t win anything, but the second one prompted a message: “Must be seen by the retailer.”
Upon verification, the cashier was so astonished that she jumped up and down, exclaiming “oh my God” multiple times before composing herself to inform him that he had won a colossal amount.
Indeed, Tayeb’s prize was a jaw-dropping $315 million jackpot (approximately £242m), which inevitably changed his life forever.
Winnings
As word of his extraordinary fortune spread, Tayeb, who became an overnight multi-millionaire, held a press conference where he humorously remarked: “I love orange juice now.”
Opting for a lump sum over periodic payments, Tayeb, a father-of-two aged 17 and 20 at the time, chose to receive $183 million (approx £141m) after taxes. Addressing the media, he stated simply: “My day has come.”
Remembering the moment of discovery, he described the scene: “The clerk kept saying, ‘oh my God, oh my God, oh my God’, and my heart went just like a Tom and Jerry cartoon when the heart went boom boom… and I found out after that I was the one.”
The lucky fellow couldn’t calm his trembling hands for hours after realising he had won the lottery. It took him a considerable two hours to make it home.
His supportive wife shed tears of joy upon hearing their fortunes had changed, and they promptly roused their children from bed to share the momentous occasion, marking it as an “emotional day”.
In an outpour of feelings, Tayeb said: “This is big. I am very emotional right now. I like the numbers I always play with those numbers.”
Having tendered his resignation, he even brought his son, Inel, along to the press event where he disclosed that the wellbeing of his family topped the list of priorities for his newfound wealth, with a keen focus on his children’s education.
His own son had previously teased him to put an end to his lottery habit—until fortune favoured them.
Not one to forget where he came from, he articulated his plans to look out for his ex-coworkers, showing gratitude as a “lucky winner”. Amid the buzz on social media following his story’s viral turn, spectators chimed in with praise.
An Instagram user applauded: “He sorted out his co-workers. He a real one for that.”
Consistently, others credited his significant other’s influence, proclaiming: “Always listen to your wife.”
And echoing the sentiment, a third wrote: “The lesson here is to always listen to her…”
