The story of Marie Holmes’ life is no less dramatic than a sensational novel or a Hollywood movie. A single mother of 4 children, this American woman became popular after winning the Powerball Lottery in 2015. There was a time when she worked two jobs per day to support her family and now Marie Holmes net worth is $80 million.
So, who is Marie Holmes and how was her life before she won the lottery? How has her lifestyle changed from 2015 to 2023 and what is she doing now?
Let’s dive deep into the personal and professional life of this woman who became a princess from a pauper.
Table of Contents
Marie Holmes bio
| Full Name | Marie Holmes |
| Profession | Social worker |
| Age | 34 |
| Year of Birth | 1989 |
| Place of Birth | Shallotte, North Carolina, United States |
| Parents | Fontella (mother) and Elroy (father) |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Children | 4 (Brayden, Ebony, Charisma, and Andrea) |
| Net Worth | $80 million in 2023 |
| Boyfriend | Lamar McDow |
| Nationality | American |
What is Marie Holmes net worth?
Mary Holmes got one-third of the jackpot of Powerball which has the total amount of $564.1 million. She got $127 million and that explains why Marie Holmes net worth in 2023 is $80 million.
Receiving a lump sum means one needs to pay taxes. Out of the winning amount, Marie had to pay 39.6% ($50 million) as Federal Tax. She paid another $10.9 million (5.8% of S127 million) as State Tax.
Despite these tax deductions, she is still wealthy. She used the remaining amount to improve her living standards and to financially support her boyfriend. She has some savings and owns assets like vehicles, property, and a foundation.
Family
The family of Marie Holmes comprises her darling children. Brayden Holmes, Ebony Holmes, Andrea Holmes, and Charisma Holmes are the names of her kids. One of her kids has cerebral palsy and he is undergoing treatment.
Parents
Marie’s mother is Fontella and she has been with Marie through thick and thin. The fun part about Marie’s lottery win is that she did not buy it herself.
It was her mother who selected the ticket numbers for her daughter. Fontella just wanted her daughter to have a blessed life and the universe probably answered the mother’s prayers.
Not much is known of Marie’s father and she also doesn’t like talking about him. As per some sources, her father’s name is Elroy. He made her childhood miserable as he did not have a stable source of income. He was imprisoned for a drug offense and presently he is serving a five-year sentence.
Marie Holmes boyfriend
The boyfriend of Marie Holmes is a controversial character. Because of her connections with him, many people have criticized Marie. So, who is this infamous man that Marie has chosen as her partner?
Before Marie became a lottery ticket winner, she was in a relationship with Lamarr McDow for nearly two years. He is not just her lover but also the father of her youngest child.
The man has been to prison several times for diverse reasons. He is a convicted felon and his other name is ‘Hot Sauce’.
One of the major accusations against him is that he operated as a drug dealer. Shortly after her win, Marie had to bail McDow out. She has bailed him out two more times after 2015 but she continues to date him.
Other than the ransom amounts, she has spent a lot on this man. From a pick-up truck to a diamond Rolex – she has often showered him with gifts. She has spent $21 million to buy new cars and jewelry for him. Now that you know Marie Holmes net worth, you can understand where all the money comes from.
Charity
Marie has a charitable foundation known as the Marie Holmes Foundation. So far, she has invested a massive amount of $10 million.
While the initial investment was $9.7 million, she later wrote a cheque for 680,000 dollars. The executive director of this trust is Carmel Wheaton, Marie’s aunt.
As Marie knows how tough it is for poor people to fulfill the needs of their kids, she tries her best to spread joy in the lives of deprived kids.
From giving school supplies to backpacks to children – her foundation keeps doing social service whenever possible. She has also given $700,000 for the upliftment of Struggling Single Mothers.
Interesting facts about Marie Holmes
All of Marie’s kids have different fathers
By the time Marie Holmes was 27 years old, she was already the primary caregiver of four children.
All of her children were the outcomes of multiple amorous relationships, but she was single at that time. Despite the hardships she has encountered, those children mean the world to Marie.
After she became rich, the person Marie missed the most was her grandmother. She loved her grandma so dearly that she wished her grandma was alive to share in her fortune. However, she was thrilled that she would be able to give her kids the comfortable life they deserved.
In one of her speeches, Marie admitted that she is grateful to have such adorable children. As a wise mother, she does not want the riches to change them.
The one lesson that she always tries to teach her kids is that money is only there to help. So, they should remain true to themselves and never forget their roots.
Marie Holmes lived a life of poverty
Can you imagine that a rich woman like Marie Holmes was broke a few years ago? As a single mother, catering to the needs of four kids can never be easy. Moreover, she was only 27 at that time and she lacked the education to get an impressive job. So, the Shallotte-based young mom decided to leave everything in the hands of fate.
Marie bought a lottery ticket for the 2015 North Carolina Powerball as her last resort. Little did she know that her life was about to change forever. She only purchased the ticket as she was desperate for financial stability and a better life. Do you think she was prepared for everything else that followed after she won the prize money?
Marie thought she was having a heart attack
How will someone react when they suddenly have a lot of money to spend? The poor Marie could not believe that she could be that lucky. So, the former Walmart and McDonald’s worker admitted that she was dumbfounded to see so much money.
Winning the Powerball Lottery is a big thing. Marie had two options: accept $188 million in the form of installments or get $127 million instantly as cash. She took the cash as she immediately needed money.
The speechless and stunned Marie understood what it meant to return home with $127 million. She was so overwhelmed with ecstasy that she felt her heart will explode. In that blissful moment, she was hopeful that all her worries would dissolve soon. So, how smooth has been her journey after she claimed the cash prize?
Marie is a regular churchgoer
Marie Holmes is a religious person and she goes to the church regularly. Even when she was not popular, the people in her community knew her as a faithful churchgoer. Every Sunday, she used to offer her prayers to the Almighty with her four children.
Even Kevin Matthews, the pastor of the church, knew her personally. Marie considered him a father figure and he always supported and encouraged her to keep going. But a rift was visible in this father-daughter relationship and Matthews sued Marie. Scroll down to find out why.
She donated a huge amount to the church
Marie Holmes wanted to thank God for being there for her during her worst days. So, she made up her mind to offer 10% of her winnings to the church.
The church where Marie gave her donation was the Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church. The final amount after taxes was $1.5 million which is the largest contribution any church has received from a lottery win. Before Marie’s contribution, the biggest amount a church had got was $100,000 in Boston.
The pastor of the church was not happy with Marie’s contribution. He knew that she got $127 million and this wounded him deeply. According to him, she had vowed to give $10 million and so he saw $1.5 million as an insult. He was furious as he had made various financial investments in the hope that she would help him.
Pastor Matthews was stressed that he had to take medications for depression and anxiety. He told the press that he thought that some third party had manipulated Marie to pay less.
The house Marie owns is a slave plantation
Marie lived in a small apartment in North Carolina’s Shallotte. When she became rich, the first thing she wanted was a lavish mansion. She surprised her children by buying a large house where can she stay peacefully with them.
It is a sprawling estate surrounded by eye-soothing greenery and is located in her hometown. However, it turned out that the property was formerly a slave plantation.
Marie was obviously unaware of this fact when she became the owner of the house. Iyanla Vanzant, a famous TV personality, revealed this information in her entertaining show ‘Fix My Life’.
Marie’s neighbors harassed her
Marie could not be at ease in her new house as hers was the only Black family residing in that area. She paid $294,000 for this five-bedroom home in Shallotte, but had to stop living there after some years.
Holmes claimed that she had unfriendly neighbors who were racists. She complained that one neighbor even set up a camera for capturing Marie and her family.
Although she left that house, she hasn’t moved out of Shallotte. Being born and brought up in Shallotte, she cannot think of relocating somewhere else.
There were drug charges against Marie
The police arrested Marie as they found drugs like marijuana in her house. This was after she became rich. However, the police realized that the marijuana belonged to her paramour and they dropped all charges against her.
Marie’s boyfriend’s alleged girlfriend blackmailed her
Rumors about McDow’s infidelity have surfaced occasionally. As per reports, he has cheated on Marie with several women and Lorna Marlowe was one of them. At the time when Marie’s lottery win took place, he was having an affair with Lorna. He allegedly took money from Marie to pamper the other woman.
Naturally, there was some tension between the two women who were fighting over the same man.
Marie’s extended family members were jealous of her success
When Marie became a millionaire overnight, her extended family members did not like it. They made attempts to bring her down by saying that she had stolen the winning ticket from her granny. Her grandmother was 90 years old at that time. However, there is no evidence that can validate their allegations.
Wrapping Up
Lastly, it is a wonder that luck can transform a poor woman into a millionaire. So, when it comes to money, fortune has been kind to Marie Holmes.
Despite the life-altering victory, many judge her for not making smart financial decisions. But there is no denying that she has brought remarkable change in the lives of her kids. And no matter what people say, Marie Holmes net worth is $80 million.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What was Marie Holmes doing before she won the lottery?
As Marie Holmes had to feed four children, she struggled to make ends meet. She worked for McDonald’s as well as Walmart at the same time.
2. What is the net worth of Marie Holmes?
Marie Holmes net worth in 2023 is 80 million dollars. This is all she has left from the prize money she won in 2015.
3. What is Marie Holmes doing today?
At present, Marie Holmes is busy raising her children and she still lives in Shallotte. She hasn’t broken up with Lamar McDaw.
