Franklin Grove family hits the jackpot

Terry and Renee Hackman of Franklin Grove hold up their check for $8,500,000 in front of Murphy USA in Dixon. The couple was presented the check by Jodie Winnett, superintendent of Illinois Lottery and Dan Furlong, a district manager of Murphy USA. (Chris Padgett/SVN photo)

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DIXON - For three days, Renee and Terry Hackman kept something rather unusual tucked away with their belongings at a water park in the Wisconsin Dells: $8.5 million.

It was early June, more than a week after Renee Hackman bought a Mega Millions lottery ticket, before she decided to check her numbers. While her husband, Terry, gassed up the car for the trip, Renee asked the clerk at the Murphy USA station on Galena Avenue about a sign claiming a winning ticket was sold there.

She gave the clerk her ticket, and was flabbergasted by the explanation that followed."I really couldn't comprehend what she was telling me, so I walked around [the counter] and she showed me the monitor and said 'Ma'am, I can't cash this for you here,' and I just couldn't put it together."

The Franklin Grove family proceeded to Wisconsin as planned, but Renee said it was difficult for her and Terry to enjoy themselves, because they were worried about keeping their ticket safe.

"... [We] babysat it, because we had no place to put it. So it was pretty crazy,"Renee Hackman said.

The Hackmans, who split a $17 million pot with a winner from New York state, have no immediate plans for the $8.5 million, aside from paying for college tuition for their five children, who range in age from 4 to 25.

"When you first find out, your Christmas list is extremely crazy, but then you come down to earth and you start thinking of what you really need to do," Renee Hackman said.

In a news release from the state Lottery office, she said the Redwoods in California, the Rocky Mountains, Niagara Falls and Germany were some of the dreamy destinations they were considering visiting.

Terry Hackman, who works for a local trucking company, said he still plans to stay with his business.

"I'm going to continue to work. I'm not going to retire. I'm too young for that," the 40-something said.

The Hackmans weren't the only people getting wealthier, either.

The Murphy USA station garnered 1 percent of the prize - $85,000 - for selling the winning ticket.

District Manager Dan Furlong said his company was not ready to disclose what will happen with that money.

What could $8.5 million buy?

2,125,000 - Gallons of gasoline

21,250 - Sony PlayStation 3 video game consoles

117 - Corvette ZO6s

97 - Undergraduate degrees from University of Illinois

Note: These are approximations and do not include taxes.