Ryan Seacrest was stunned after this contestant’s wild win — and she barely remembers any of it
Season 42 of 'Wheel of Fortune' premiered on September 9, 2024, with Ryan Seacrest stepping in as the new host. Even after hundreds of episodes, the bright lights and high stakes of the show continue to throw off contestants. That’s exactly what happened to Mekdes Getahun, a Dallas-based writer, who had a rollercoaster of a night during her appearance on April 10.
Getahun initially faced off with Jeremy Owusu, with both winning one toss-up puzzle each, giving them even footing early in the game. The third contestant, Nolan Baack, solved the first main puzzle, the quirky phrase "Sabrina Carpenter Ants," and took the lead in winnings. However, Getahun quickly bounced back by solving the next puzzle, tying with Baack. During the high-stakes triple toss-up round, the tension on the show's set was palpable. Owusu buzzed in first and solved the first puzzle, while Getahun missed her chance, allowing Baack to swoop in and score another win.
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But Getahun wasn't done yet; she rallied and nailed the third puzzle, pocketing another $2,000 prize. However, in a post-show interview, Getahun admitted it wasn’t as smooth as it looked. She revealed she blacked out on stage and had no memory of solving the puzzle, as reported by TV Insider. Despite the mental fog, she blurted out the right answer that earned her a $16,000 prize and a trip to the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas. When Maggie Sajak asked her how she felt after her game. “I’m very excited. I’m pretty sure I blacked out. I don’t remember what I said. I heard there was some singing on the table stuff,” Getahun said. The clip then played of her messing up the toss-up. “I don’t remember that,” she confirmed.
But even after the dramatic win, there was no poetic justice in the end. In the final Bonus Round, Getahun spun the wheel one last time but couldn’t solve the puzzle: "R _ TI_ING G_IT_R _ _ _RDS." The correct answer was “Practicing Guitar Chords.” Unfortunately, she lost the final prize of $19,500. According to the aforementioned outlet, Getahun told Seacrest she’s a writer working on a book about her late mother, who passed away in 2021. She recalled watching ‘Wheel of Fortune’ with her mother every day, making her moment on the show especially meaningful.
Fans who were rooting for Getahun to win poured their hearts out on the video's YouTube channel. In the comment section, one viewer wrote, "Wow, that was so close. So proud of you. You’ve done fantastically." Noting that the challenge was high, another viewer said, "This one was a toughie. I think because she's never heard of it, she struggled to piece it together. Even the P probably would've done no good either." While a netizen wrote in disbelief, "I got the answer correct in 2 seconds. How did she not guess it?"
