Valerie E.

 

When I found out I made the show, I was absolutely ecstatic!!! Everything happened so fast from the time I found out and when I found myself on the set of WHEEL OF FORTUNE 🤩 It was truly a lifelong dream come true!

After watching Wheel with my grandparents from adolescence to adulthood, it was so surreal to be there! I was lucky enough to be participating with fellow Veteran contestants. This instantly made me feel at home as we all shared a common experience in serving our country. I think there was a sense of camaraderie among us all and it didn’t feel like a competition at all, it felt like we were all rooting for each other and just so happy for each persons success in the game. As we waited for more information and paperwork to sign, I saw out of the corner of my eye THE one and ONLY Vanna White enter the room. She came in with her regular clothes, hair in ponytail and exclaimed, “hello everyone, this is the real me!” Haha 😂 I loved that so much, she was so sweet and down to earth, made her feel very relatable :)

I practiced for the show by watching as many WOF episodes as possible and solving puzzles as much as I could with the WOF app! I learned through this experience that anything is possible and it doesn’t take “winning” to have the best experience of your life! Dreams really do come true! The puzzle that surprised me the most was the prize puzzle! I solved nearly the whole thing and was completely stumped on the first word. You don’t realize the amount of pressure you’ll be under when you’re being timed and having to make so many decisions in such a short amount of time….. from home, you get to have a more well rounded look at the actual puzzle itself. On set, you’re looking at the used letter board, the vowels you have left, the actual puzzle, and also spinning and listening to Pat, etc! There is a lot happening all at once and it really can hinder your ability to see the puzzle with more clarity. Needless to say, I did not solve the prize puzzle hahaha BUT I was beyond excited for the contestant that won the prize trip, very well deserved!!! I felt like I won when she won because it felt like we were living a dream together 🥹🫶🏼

My mom and I are avid thrifters, and (believe it or not) in one of her recent thrifting ventures- she found a Wheel of Fortune tablecloth!!! She purchased the tablecloth so we can have a watch party with family and friends when the episode airs! The truth is, I may use the tablecloth regularly lol! Wheel means so much to me, but if I could narrow it down to three words…. I would say Wheel means- FAMILY, UNITY, and FUN! I love the challenge it presents and the way it really gets your “wheels spinning”. The fun competition with the family brings us closer together by encouraging one another and laughing when we get it wrong 😂 Wheel has always been a big part of my life and always will!!! It would’ve been this way without appearing on the show, but now it’s EXTRA special! I would repeat this experience a million times if I could 🫶🏼