CLIVE, Iowa — A Johnston man says his $100,000 lottery win was a blessing from his father, who died a few weeks before.

“My dad just passed away three weeks ago,” Thomas O’Hollearn told the Iowa Lottery on Thursday. “I thought maybe it was a blessing from him. It was a blessing from my dad.”

Thomas O’Hollearn, 56, matched four of the five white balls and the Powerball in Wednesday’s drawing. He was one number away from winning the night’s $417.9 million jackpot.

“It was up to a lot of money, so I thought, ‘Well, I’ll get a couple easy-pick (tickets),’” O’Hollearn said. “And here I am!”

O’Hollearn works for a freight company and checked his ticket at a local retailer between deliveries Thursday morning.

“I couldn’t believe it. I was just thrilled,” he said. “I called my mom right away, and my brother and my son. We were all excited.”

O’Hollearn plans to save and invest his winning in retirement but says he’ll carry this win with him forever.

“I’d win $3 here, or $15 there, but I never thought I’d win this money,” he said. “It’s a dream come true.”

O’Hollearn collected his winnings at the Iowa Lottery Headquarters located in Clive. The winning ticket was purchased at the West Des Moines Hy-Vee located at 555 South 51st Street.

The jackpot for Saturday’s drawing now stands at an estimated $444 million.