Mike S.

The weeks leading up to the taping were filled with excitement and nerves. I’m a planner, and not knowing what to expect once I got there was pretty difficult. I spent an awful lot of time playing the Wheel of Fortune app and even got my two boys hooked on it as well!

We flew in the day before taping, checked out some of LA’s sights, and headed to bed early for the big day.

The day of taping was an amazing whirlwind. It was so much fun meeting everyone from across the country and comparing our stories. Some lifelong friends were made that day for sure!

I shared my episode with two amazing people, and being able to say that I spent New Year’s Eve with Ryan and Vanna is something for the memory books.

During the show, I have a few regrets about how I played the game. I never mentioned my boys or school by name (shoutout to the Romeoville High School Spartans and the world’s greatest sons, Evan and Ian!). Also, vowels can definitely be your friends—but not always—as I ended up losing by $200. I will also never forget the phrase “Ebb and Flow,” as that one had all three of us stumped!

I’ve watched Wheel of Fortune since I was a kid. I remember growing up thinking how great my mom was at the game and always thought it would be fun to be on it. Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would become a reality!

As a teacher, one of my favorite icebreaker activities at the start of the year is “Two Truths and a Lie.” I now have the best truth to share—that I was on Wheel of Fortune!