A man keeps the promise made in 1992 and splits $22 million lottery winnings with a friend

The promise to share the prize if either of them won had been sealed only by a handshake.

The word is worthless, but for some, it is still the most valuable. This is the case of Tom Cook, who fulfilled it to the fullest by fulfilling his promise to distribute the lottery prize if he ever won it.

Cook’s pact with his friend Joe Feeney was made 28 years ago and was that if either of them won the lottery prize, they would split it 50/50 regardless of who had bought it. To seal it, they only shook hands when they lived in the town of Menomonie, Wisconsin.

“We said when either one of us won, we would split it up, so we bought (a ticket) every week ,” Feeney said. “That happened many years ago and it just kept going,” says Cook, adding that “the handshake is a handshake, man.”

Cook bought a ticket for the Powerball drawing on June 10 and won the $22 million jackpot.

Feeney said he found the news his friend gave him incredibly, and his only reaction was to say, “Are you kidding me?”

Cook was calm with his decision and assured that half of the award was enough to retire from his job. “We can continue with what we feel comfortable with. I can’t think of a better way to retire ,” Cook said.

Fenney had already retired from his job as a firefighter, but with this money, he said he would enjoy more time with his family.

For choosing the cash option and after federal and state taxes, the friends will give them about $5.7 million dollars.

Wisconsin Lottery Director Cindy Polzin said: “Congratulations to Tom, Joe and their families. The power of friendship and a handshake have paid off. I am excited for them, their lucky day has come.”

The Powerball ticket costs $2, and the odds of winning are around one in 292,000,000.

Source: CBSNews