Iowa Powerball Winner Has Come Forward!

The wait is over: the person who won the largest lottery prize to date in Iowa, has come forward.

51-year-old Lerynne West of Redfield, located in central Iowa, claimed her $343.9 million PowerBall jackpot prize today, at lottery headquarters in Clive.

West had one of two winning tickets for the October 27th PowerBall drawing. The other ticket was purchased in New York City.

West bought her ticket at the Casey's store in Redfield, a town of about 830 people. West was in the process of moving into a new home, when she and her sister stopped at Casey's to buy some pizza and coffee. While she was there, West decided to buy an Easy Pick PowerBall ticket.

After it was learned that the ticket was purchased in Redfield, one of West's friends texted her to ask if she was the one who bought it. West initially lost her winning ticket, but her sister later found it on the floor of her truck.

After learning of her good fortune, West and her family set up a foundation to help alleviate poverty and hunger, promote education and animal welfare, and veteran's affairs. A board was set up to handle the charitable foundation, called the Callum Foundation, named after her grandson who was born prematurely in April and lived just one day.

West chose to take the lump sum payment of about $200 million.West has also retired early from an insurance company.

West is a single mom; she has 3 daughters and 6 grandchildren.