Aaron Bendickson, 48, of Warrenton didn’t know he was holding the $1 million Powerball ticket until he went to the Main Street Market to scan his ticket. Main Street Market is his local spot to play Lottery games.
Aaron, formerly a sergeant in the U.S. Army, was medically retired after being diagnosed with skin cancer at the age of 23. He has since battled brain cancer and has undergone multiple surgeries over the years. He shared that he has strong faith in God and decided to quit smoking in 2022. Since that time, he uses money that was previously spent on cigarettes to buy Oregon Lottery Scratch-its and quick pick draw games. He said the win is one way his faith is being rewarded for making positive changes in his life.
He’s planning to use the prize money toward a new home and surprise his son by paying off his car loan.