No One Expected It
She was on a roll since the very start of the show. She made it look easy as she consistently managed to take the lead. It was obvious that she would be the winner of the final round. The rest didn't stand a chance.
The crowd had grown so used to her getting everything right that they were surprised and stumped when she finally yelled out the wrong letter. She tried again and got it wrong for a second time. Her fellow contestants and the host were all visibly confused. No one would ever have guessed what her endgame would be.
Amy Jackson
Amy Jackson loved watching game shows. Sometimes she would imagine herself as one of the contestants and think of the answers she would give in their circumstances. She and her family spent every single weeknight watching Wheel of Fortune, it was part of their dinner ritual.
Since she was young, she had always wanted to be on at least one episode. Even if it meant that she would be stood in the audience, she wanted it. But she never could have imagined what impact this dream would have on her life.
Serving Her Country
When Amy was 18-years-old, she decided to join the U.S Marine Corps. She loved the idea of serving her country, which she had wanted to do since she entered high school.
She was good at what she did, she effortlessly managed to power through the ranks while touring the world. She returned to share her story with anyone that would listen. But what she was about to do on a game show was sure to leave everyone speechless.
Military Theme
It was Veteran's Week, and Wheel of Fortune decided to honor this by reimagining the show with a military theme.
The producers of Wheel of Fortune made the effort to send out invites to veterans and men and women still serving. They wanted them to take part in the show. Amy couldn't believe her luck when she turned out to be one of the lucky few that got an invite.
At The Top
Amy loved the show, and she had been studying it for years. She was prepared for anything the host could throw at her. She spent the week drilling for the contest, she would stop at nothing to be at the very top.
It was her big night, and as she expected, she was at the top from the start of the show. But soon the game was nearing its final round, that was when she noticed something alarming happening by her side.
The Other Contestants
Jack was a fellow contestant and he had secured five thousand dollars all for himself. Another contestant, Rich, had nothing.
But Amy had a lot. She had fourteen thousand dollars in her bank. She felt bad for Rich, she couldn't help it. The host announced the start of the last round and Amy knew the night was all about her.
"Z, As In Zulu"
The mandatory wheel spun and the host called on Rich to give the first letter. He answered with 'T' which got him three thousand dollars. Next was Amy's turn, and she decided to call out 'Z'.
The host couldn't believe his ears as he said, “Say that again for me?”. Amy stayed cool and collected as she answered, “Z, as in Zulu." The host was noticeably concerned as he shouted out, “You did say Z,” and checked the board. But was there a Z on the board?
Taking Turns
The host informed them all that there was no Z, and then moved on to Jack. Jack went with 'R' and made another thousand dollars. It was now Rich's turn again, and he chose 'S'.
“One S,” the host called out, which increased Rich's three thousand to four thousand. The host called Amy's name enthusiastically, but her response surprised everyone.
Missed Opportunity
The seconds ticked by as Amy thought of the right letter to call out. She was about to speak when the sound of the buzzer filled the room. The audience stared in bewilderment.
The host called for Jack, and he chose 'M'. Then Rick when, and decided to go with 'N', landing him another three thousand dollars. Amy glanced at the scores as she let out a gasp.
Confusion All Around
She was losing the round. The host brought her back to reality when he told her that it was her turn. "Q" was what she decided to go with. The crowd let out loud gasps and some of them booed her.
Jack called out "P", earning him another two thousand dollars to his one. "Your turn Rich," The host called. He seemed as confused as the audience was.
I Hope This Works
Amy’s turn came again. Seemingly convinced that something was wrong with the show’s star contestant, the host called out to her. “I wonder what letter Amy will call,” he said.
“X,” Amy responded. “There’s no X,” answered the host with a disbelieving chuckle. Amy laughed nervously. But deep down, she hoped this would go her way.
The End Nears
Rich called out the letter G, receiving an additional thousand dollars. He was gaining on Amy and Jack on the overall scoreboard.
The game continued in a similar fashion culminating in Jack calling out the final word. Everyone had expected Amy to take this round, but she’d scored nothing. But the overall scoreboard revealed another story.
The Scoreboard
Despite losing in the final round, Amy had won the night’s game by a landslide. As he shook her hand, the host asked, “Now… May I ask you a question?” “Sure,” Amy answered.
The host said, “You called some unusual letters in that round?” Amy nodded. “That’s what I saw,” she said. It seems everyone couldn’t understand why she’d thrown the round. But answers came soon after.
They Find Out
Everybody who’d been watching the show at home took to social media to share their theories on why Amy threw the final round and still won the game.
Even though the theories varied, people could agree that Amy saw Rich’s score at the end of the second to last round. Since Rich had nothing in his bank, she intentionally called out the wrong letters to allow him to win some cash.
What We Can Learn
Amy’s story went viral, with Americans praising her for her selflessness. She was an anomaly for the show. Her courage and generosity would inspire others to be like her worldwide.
Amy was showered with gifts and praises wherever she went. But being in the game and living her childhood dream was the biggest reward she could ever want.