In an extraordinary fusion of modern technology and timeless generosity, Carrie Edwards, a grandmother from Midlothian, Virginia, transformed a casual ChatGPT query into a life-altering Powerball win—and then into a profound act of giving. On September 16, 2025, Edwards announced she would donate her entire $150,000 prize from the September 8 drawing to three charities dedicated to dementia research, food equity, and military family support. A widow who lost her husband Steve to frontotemporal degeneration in 2023, Edwards chose to honor his legacy of service by redirecting every cent toward causes that heal communities and carry forward his spirit of selflessness.
The journey began on September 8, when Carrie Edwards, a first-time online lottery player, purchased a Powerball ticket via the Virginia Lottery app. Unsure of what numbers to pick, she turned to ChatGPT for inspiration, asking, “Talk to me… Do you have numbers for me?” The AI, despite noting lotteries are pure chance, generated a set of numbers. Edwards played them, adding a dollar for the Power Play multiplier. During a work meeting days later, an email alert caught her eye. Initially dismissing it as a scam, she logged into her account that evening to confirm: the numbers matched four of the five white balls plus the red Powerball, yielding a $50,000 base prize—tripled to $150,000 by the Power Play.
Rather than keep the windfall, Edwards saw it as a divine call to action. “As soon as that divine windfall happened and came down upon my shoulders, I knew exactly what I needed to do with it, and I knew that I needed to give it all away,” she declared at the Virginia Lottery headquarters, standing beside Executive Director Khalid Jones with an oversized novelty check. She briefly considered keeping half but felt Steve—a firefighter who responded to the Pentagon on 9/11 and captured the iconic flag-draping photo—would champion giving it all. “All he ever wanted to do was help people. Now, I get to carry that on,” she said. Jones praised her rarity: “Very rarely do we have winners do what Carrie is doing here today.”
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Edwards’ story, blending AI-assisted luck with selfless giving, has captured national attention. In a September overshadowed by a $1.79 billion Powerball jackpot elsewhere, her modest yet multiplied win proves fortune’s true value lies in its impact. Social media buzzes with praise, calling her a “modern miracle worker” and her tale “the feel-good reset we needed.” Her decision to leverage a chatbot’s numbers into communal good sparks wonder, showing how technology and heart can align for extraordinary outcomes.
A Heartfelt Split: The Three Charities at the Core of Carrie’s Gift
Carrie Edwards divided her $150,000 equally among three organizations—$50,000 pre-tax each, roughly $36,000 after 24% federal and 4% state taxes—reflecting personal loss, community care, and familial duty. Her choices—the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD), Shalom Farms, and the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society—mirror her life’s chapters, from Steve’s battle with illness to her Navy-rooted upbringing and commitment to equity.
The AFTD donation honors Steve, who succumbed to frontotemporal degeneration, a devastating early-onset dementia affecting roughly 60,000 Americans with symptoms like speech loss and behavioral changes. His 2023 passing left Edwards navigating grief, but her gift fuels AFTD’s mission of research, education, and family support. “This generous gift will directly support vital research and family services as we work toward a future free of FTD,” said CEO Susan L-J Dickinson. By funding clinical trials and resources, Edwards transforms personal loss into hope, ensuring Steve’s fight aids others facing FTD’s isolating toll.
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Shalom Farms, a Richmond-based nonprofit, addresses food inequity in Virginia, where food deserts plague low-income and rural areas. Through urban farming, education, and produce distribution, it promotes access to healthy food, “healing through food and soil,” as Edwards described. As a grandmother, she’s seen how nutrition shapes futures, making this cause personal. Her donation will expand farm-to-table programs, potentially reaching schools in Chesterfield County to combat childhood hunger. “We are grateful for Carrie’s commitment to the work of Shalom Farms,” a representative said, noting the funds will plant seeds for sustainable community health.
The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, providing emergency aid, counseling, and health services to service members and veterans, ties to Edwards’ Navy family roots. Growing up in a military household, she knows the sacrifices of deployments and financial strains. Her gift will bolster interest-free loans, disaster relief, and mental health support, echoing Steve’s firefighter heroism. “It carries forward the tradition of supporting military families in times of need,” she said. With over a century of service, the society’s impact is vast, and Edwards’ contribution strengthens its lifeline for those in uniform.
This deliberate split ensures each charity maximizes impact, weaving Edwards’ AI-fueled win into legacies of healing, nourishment, and support. At the announcement, her calm conviction shone, proving giving amplifies joy.
Inspiration in Action: Carrie’s Legacy of Blessing Others
Edwards’ story transcends a lucky ticket; it’s a testament to how technology and generosity can converge to inspire. Her ChatGPT query, a playful whim, yielded numbers that unlocked not just wealth but purpose, proving even AI’s random suggestions can spark profound outcomes. “It’s all luck,” the chatbot cautioned, yet Carrie Edwards turned chance into intention, urging others: “I want this to be an example of how other people, when they’re blessed, can bless other people. Grateful to pour it back into the community.”
The impact is immediate. AFTD’s funds will accelerate research, potentially hastening therapies to spare families FTD’s grip. Shalom Farms will expand outreach, delivering fresh produce to Richmond’s underserved and fostering food security. The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society will enhance aid for service members facing rising costs and mental health challenges. Together, these efforts touch thousands, transforming $150,000 into generational change.
Her act aligns with the Virginia Lottery’s mission, where ticket sales fund K-12 education—over $3 billion annually. Carrie Edwards doubles this public good, showing winners can amplify impact. As a widow and grandmother, she embodies resilience, channeling Steve’s 2023 loss into action. Her faith frames the win as divine purpose: “God is blessing me so I can bless others.” This resonates in a divided era, offering a unifying narrative of stewardship.
Public response has been electric. Viral clips of her announcement garner millions of views, with comments hailing her as a “Good Samaritan 2.0.” Charities’ gratitude floods social feeds, while discussions swirl about AI’s role in lotteries—though Carrie Edwards keeps it grounded, focusing on giving. Her story redefines winning: not hoarding wealth, but sharing light. As September 2025 fades, her legacy endures in labs, gardens, and barracks, proving true jackpots heal and unite, with or without a chatbot’s nudge.