(CNN) – Years ago, Thomas Cook and Joseph Feeney made a pact: if either of them won the lottery, the winnings would be divided. Then they shook him.
Twenty-eight years later, Cook kept his word.
The Elk Mound, Wisconsin man won a whopping $ 22 million playing Powerball.
And true to his word, he reached out to his old fishing buddy Feeney.
“Are you shaking my cork?” an incredulous Feeney asked, according to a statement from the Wisconsin Lottery office on Thursday.
The two friends had been buying tickets every week and were surprised that their luck finally came.
After reality, Cook did what any hard-working American would do: quit his job!
Now enjoy retired life alongside Feeney, a retired firefighter.
The couple chose the $ 16.7 million cash option, which means they each took home about $ 5.7 million after tax.
So what big plans are these two friends hatching now? The answer is simple: spend more time together.
The old friends and their wives took a road trip some time ago, and plan to do it again.
But this time, instead of a Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible, they will launch into something more stylish.
