‘Wheel of Fortune’: Mom Gasps & Daughter Cries in Emotional $63,000 Win
We’re all in shock! A Wheel of Fortune contestant let out a big gasp before solving the Bonus Round puzzle. She figured it out after the letters were revealed and took home $63,000.
Natalie Brooks, from Houston, Texas, won big on February 5, when she made it to the Bonus Round and solved it quickly. She is a married mom of two. She met her husband of 16 years at an all-inclusive resort in Jamaica 18 years ago.
Brooks played against Danica Taylor, a flight attendant instructor and major Jonas Brothers fan, from Orlando, Florida, and Tom Choi, a surfer and golfer who has a second baby on the way, from Long Beach, California.
Taylor solved the first toss-up, and Brooks solved the second. Brooks solved most of the first puzzle, but landed on Bankrupt, so the turn moved to Choi. After a few letters, he took the lead and solved “Kiwi, Koala, Kangaroo, Kittens” for $3,150.
Choi guessed “Bad Jokes and Artichokes” for the next puzzle, but he was incorrect. After a few letter guesses, Taylor solved “Dad Jokes and Artichokes” for $2,000. The game was very tight with only $1,000 separating them.
Brooks solved the Prize Puzzle — “Like Nothing You’ve Ever Seen” — and won an African safari. This gave her the lead with a total of $15,190.
Brooks put $4,000 in her bank when she solved two of the three Triple Toss-ups. Taylor solved the third one, giving her $2,000 more. Brooks also solved the final puzzle — “Adventure Sports” — giving her a final total of $23,900.
Taylor left with $4,500. Choi went home with $3,150.
Brooks brought her husband, two daughters, and mom with her to the Bonus Round. She chose “Food & Drink.”
The game show contestant was given “R,S,T,L,N, and E” by Wheel of Fortune and added “C,M,H, and A” to it. Her puzzle then looked like “_ _ _RN S_ _ASH.”
Brooks gasped when the letters filled in. She went to solve it, but host Ryan Seacrest said, “Hold up!”
When the clock started, he said, “Now, let it out.” Brooks solved “Acorn Squash” and added $40,000 to her total, giving her $63,990.
Her family came to greet her and give her hugs, and her youngest daughter cried. “Are you happy?” Seacrest asked her, and she nodded.
“So much excitement in all of this. I love it. Everybody’s stunned,” Seacrest said.
Wheel of Fortune, weekdays, check local listings, stream next day on Hulu and Peacock
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