The First Wiccan Multi-Millionaire?
The Baltimore Sun reports that Ellwood “Bunky” Bartlett, a Wiccan, has won 49 million dollars in the Maryland State Lottery “Mega Millions” drawing.
Ellwood “Bunky” Bartlett
“A Wicca devotee and small businessman from Dundalk came forward yesterday with a photocopy of a lottery ticket showing the winning numbers to Friday’s Mega Millions drawing and claimed a share of the estimated $330 million jackpot, though lottery officials have yet to verify his assertion. “I kind of screamed, and then I kind of cried,” said Elwood “Bunky” Bartlett, 40, retelling the story of how he and his wife, Denise, greeted the news yesterday morning … ‘I thank the gods for this gift. … I don’t know which one granted me this wish, but whichever one did, thanks!’”
Once the winning ticket is verified, Bartlett says he plans to pay off his family’s debts and create a franchise of metaphysical stores.
“Bartlett said he plans to pay off all the debts of his parents and in-laws, and hopes to invest in Mystickal Voyage, building up a holistic health and yoga center and eventually turning it into a franchise.”
While there have certainly been some well-off modern Pagans, Bartlett may be the first acknowledged multi-millionaire to claim adherence to the Wiccan faith. One has to wonder if he’ll soon be inundated with calls from Pagan organizations and individuals hoping that he’ll be willing to “share the wealth” with his co-religionists.
One response so far
