By Nathan Duke
A 44-year-old Astoria man took home $14 million and two other borough residents netted $1 million each last week after winning the state Lottery and celebrating their win at a 35th Street diner where they were handed their checks.
Kenneth Rosado, an Astoria resident who coordinates resident services at a Bronx condominium; Kwan Shek Chu, a 53-year-old traveling shoe salesman from Auburndale; and Willie James McCain, a 61-year-old Far Rockaway resident who works as a caretaker for the New York Housing Authority, all received their checks from state Lottery representatives last Thursday at Astoria's Cup Diner.
Both Chu and McCain each took home $1 million, while Rosado, a father of two, purchased the sole jackpot-winning ticket for the Sept. 10 drawing, winning $14 million.
“The first thing I said was, 'Oh, my God,' ” said Rosado, who has played the Lotto once per week for the past six months. “I couldn't believe it. It took a couple of hours to sink in. I was shocked more than anything. It was kind of surreal.”
Rosado said he would likely stay at his job to ensure that his children had enough money to go to college. He said he would use his winnings to buy a new home and car.
A Lottery spokeswoman said Rosado found out that he had won after a friend from work told him that the winning ticket had been sold at a Bronx store, where he had purchased his ticket. He later found out that he was the winner, she said.
Rosado was the second jackpot winner in the past three weeks, following Little Neck's McGeough family splitting a $19 million jackpot from a drawing last summer.
McCain, who won $100 from playing the Lottery four years ago, said he would use the money to pay off bills and considered purchasing a co-op. He said he eased off playing the Lottery for a while.
“If I have an extra dollar, I'll play once or twice,” he said. “But I'll cut out for a little bit, so I don't end up giving all the money back.”
Chu, who bought the ticket as he left the city on a business trip to Miami, said he would use his winnings to fund research for a book he is working on that would translate more than 200 languages.
Reach reporter Nathan Duke by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
