Wheel of Fortune has been gracing television sets for over 30 years.
I mean, who wouldn’t want their daily dose of Pat and Vanna before dinner?
The show usually features three contestants who spend the half hour spinning a gigantic wheel, solving word puzzles (while Vanna White magically reveals letters on the massive wall of TVs), and racking up cash prizes and luxury getaways.
During the show’s “Veteran Week,” one contestant left viewers and show producers alike speechless.
Nura Fountano is a U.S. Veteran who had racked up most of the money by the time they got to the game’s final round. Contestants needed to choose letters that would solve the puzzle “Following Footprints” when Fountano began acting strange.
When asked to pick a letter, the front-runner chose the letter Z.
Z!!! THE WORST POSSIBLE CHOICE!
The show’s host, Pat Sajack was visibly confused. Obviously Fountano knew how to play the game well; why would she choose such an awful letter?
As the round continued and each contestant gave their letter choices, Fountano went on to guess the letters X and Q.
This woman was committing Wheel of Fortune suicide!
She lost the round, but the cash was awarded to fellow veteran and contestant, Steve, who had won very little prize money before the start of the final round.
It turns out that Fountano, who had successfully answered most of the show’s puzzles, was trying to help Steve, her fellow brother in arms. He had started the round with only $1,600, but by the end, Steve had earned $6,400.
True to one of the military’s core values, Fountano put “service over self”—even though it meant she ran the risk of looking foolish.
The selfless vet went on to win the show, despite her throwing the final round. A well-deserved win for this class-act.
