When Paul Rosenau hit the $180.1 million Powerball jackpot back in 2008, people didn't just see a lucky guy. They saw a miracle. You see, the date he won—May 3—was exactly five years to the day after his two-year-old granddaughter, Makayla, died from a brutal, rare genetic condition called Krabbe disease. Paul, a heavy-equipment operator from Waseca, Minnesota, wasn't just looking at a pile of cash; he was looking at what he felt was a direct message from God.
Honestly, the "lottery winner" trope usually involves fast cars and failed marriages. But Paul Rosenau net worth isn't a story of excess. It's a story of a blue-collar worker who decided that $60 million in his pocket was far less important than finding a cure for the disease that stole his "little angel."
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Breaking Down the 180 Million Jackpot
Let’s get the numbers out of the way because they’re kinda staggering. While the jackpot was advertised at $180.1 million, that’s the "annuity" value—the amount you get if you take payments over 30 years. Like most people, Paul and his wife Sue opted for the lump sum.
The cash option was roughly $88 million. After the taxman took his cut (Uncle Sam and the State of Minnesota don't play around), the Rosenaus were left with a net egg of approximately $59.6 million.
Most of us would be looking at private islands. Paul? He called his accountant and basically said he wanted to give it back.
Where Did the Money Go?
If you're looking for Paul Rosenau's personal bank balance today, it's a lot smaller than you'd think for a man who won nearly $200 million. He has famously stated, “We pretty much gave everything but $10 million away.”
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Here is the rough breakdown of where that $60 million went:
- $26.4 million went straight into starting The Legacy of Angels Foundation (now known as the Rosenau Family Research Foundation).
- $10 million was donated to their local community in Waseca, including local hospitals and church projects.
- The rest was split between family trusts, taxes, and a modest "retirement" fund of about $10 million to ensure his children and grandchildren were taken care of.
The Reality of Managing Millions: The Lawsuits
It hasn't all been sunshine and philanthropy. You’d think having $26 million in a foundation would be a simple thing to manage, but the financial world can be predatory. Paul recently made headlines again, not for winning more money, but for winning a massive legal battle.
It turns out a financial advisor he trusted ended up putting the foundation’s money into high-commission insurance products and annuities that weren't actually helping the charity. In June 2024, a panel of arbitrators ordered Principal Securities to pay the Rosenau foundation $7.34 million in damages.
It’s a sobering reminder: even when you’re trying to do the most good in the world, people will still try to take a piece of your pie. Paul had no investment experience when he won. He relied on handshakes and trust, which unfortunately led to "wasted assets" that could have been used for medical research.
The Legacy of Angels and Krabbe Disease
The real "net worth" of Paul Rosenau isn't in a brokerage account; it's in the scientific progress his money bought. Krabbe disease is a nightmare. It attacks the nervous system of infants, and for a long time, it was a certain death sentence.
Because of the Rosenau Family Research Foundation:
- Newborn Screening: They’ve successfully lobbied multiple states to include Krabbe disease in mandatory newborn testing. This is huge because treatment (like stem cell transplants) only works if you catch it before symptoms start.
- Clinical Trials: Their funding helped move pre-clinical work into actual human trials with federal regulators.
- Support: They’ve spent millions helping other families navigate the medical costs and the sheer emotional weight of the diagnosis.
Why Paul Rosenau Still Matters in 2026
We live in an era where "net worth" is usually a scorecard for ego. But Paul is still living in Minnesota, still focusing on the foundation, even after losing his wife Sue to cancer in 2018. He didn't let the money change his character, but he used the money to change the medical landscape for rare diseases.
He basically treated the lottery win like a job assignment. He felt God gave him the money with a stern warning: "Don't screw it up." By turning $60 million into a permanent engine for medical research, most would agree he followed those instructions to the letter.
Key Takeaways for Financial Planning
If you ever find yourself with a windfall—whether it's $180 million or a small inheritance—take a page out of the Rosenau playbook, but maybe with a bit more skepticism toward advisors.
- Define Your "Enough" Number: Paul knew he only needed $10 million to be comfortable. Everything else was "extra" that could be used for impact.
- Audit Your Advisors: Don't just trust a local guy because he’s your friend. The $7.3 million judgment Paul won proves that even "experts" can prioritize their commissions over your mission.
- Focus on Legacy, Not Just Luxury: Luxury fades; impact (like curing a disease) lasts forever.
To protect your own assets or charitable goals, the next logical step is to perform a fiduciary audit of any managed accounts. Ensure your advisor is legally bound to act in your best interest and that your funds aren't being drained by unnecessary "variable annuities" or high-commission products like the ones that impacted the Rosenau foundation.