FINDLAY, Ohio — Had Suzanne Ward known who was on the other end of a couple phone calls from unknown numbers Wednesday night, she probably wouldn't have ignored them.
The Findlay woman is Ohio's newest millionaire, winning the fourth of five $1 million prizes in the state's Vax-a-Million contest. A representative from Gov. Mike DeWine's office knocked on her door shortly after the governor tried calling her twice to share the news.
Ward was in disbelief at first.
"I saw [the representative] and thought, 'Someone's on the scam call and now someone's soliciting at the door,'" she said Thursday during a news conference with the governor. "Then the man said, 'I'm from Gov. DeWine's office,' and I was like 'Oh my goodness.'"
Ward is a business professor at the University of Findlay. She and her husband plan to visit with a financial planner to best determine what to do with the money, but said their grandchildren will have their college education paid for.
The Wards also plan on supporting causes that they're passionate about.
"We're gonna take our time, really step back, develop a plan and then be very intentional about giving back to the local community," Ward explained to WTOL 11.
Ward said two of her friends contracted long-term COVID. She received her vaccine as soon as her age group was eligible.
"It was the best thing to save lives and get our economy back," Ward said. "I would encourage everybody to get vaccinated. I think it's the smart thing to do from a health standpoint."
About 489,000 Ohioans have been vaccinated since DeWine announced the Vax-a-Million lottery. He said he didn't have a specific number or goal in mind at the beginning, but he's happy with the results.
"Every person who gets vaccinated saves lives and get us back to normal," DeWine said. "I felt this would incentivize people to get vaccinated and speed it up. The first two weeks were phenomenal. It's certainly leveled off, but that's what we expected. But I'm very happy with the way it's turned out."
DeWine said more incentives will be announced following Vax-a-Million. The final drawing for $1 million and a full college scholarship to any state university is next Wednesday at 7:29 p.m.
Ward said the experience has been surreal.
"It's still sinking in," she said. "I woke up and wasn't really sure if I relived a dream."
Ward is the third person with northwest Ohio ties to win the $1 million prize. South Toledo resident Jonathan Carlyle won in Week 2, and last week's winner Mark Cline, of Richwood, lived in Findlay for over 20 years when he worked for Marathon Petroleum.