Charleston woman wins over $20K on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ — but what she did with it will leave you in tears
Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of domestic abuse that some readers may find distressing.
'Wheel of Fortune' has been a fan favorite for decades, as viewers love watching contestants earn big and turn their lives around. However, one contestant's victory not only changed things around for her but also for other women in Charleston. A player named Sam Savage featured during Season 39 of the show, in an episode that aired on May 6, 2022, as per Newsweek. She played against sales director Brandi Crown and civil engineer and big-time golfer, Brad Brophy, during the 'Big Money' week of the show, which gave players a chance to win the prize money of $5,000 along with a luxury cruise.
As per the outlet, she secured a massive win of $23,500, which she said she was going to donate to a domestic abuse charity. The contestant revealed that she once worked as a volunteer at My Sister's House (MSH), a nonprofit domestic abuse shelter in Charleston. Savage told the outlet at the time, "I chose MSH because I volunteered with them while in Charleston. I love the work that they do and I believe in it. Growing up, I saw the harm that domestic violence can do to a family and its victims. Without MSH and people like Ms. Trudy who work and volunteer there, many people wouldn't have someplace or someone to turn to."
She added, "Without the donations and volunteers, many foundations wouldn't exist." During the episode, Savage shared that she had already donated $1,000 to the organization and plans to donate that annually. Additionally, she admitted that she would use some of it to pay her bills. Savage, who worked as a naval officer at the time, had just shifted from Goose Creek in California to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii for her new official posting and revealed that she is no longer able to volunteer at MSH. The organization's mission is to break the cycle of domestic violence by providing comprehensive support, services, and education to the victims, according to mysistershouse.org.
In an interview with The Charleston Post and Courier, Savage opened up about her experience of winning on the show. She said, "[It] was just unbelievably exciting to me. I wouldn't exchange it for anything." During the preliminary rounds, she is seen solving the puzzle, 'Los Angeles Rams Are Super Bowl Champions,' and earning a cash prize of $11,500. Next came the Triple Toss Up Round, where Savage solved the puzzle, 'I Had a Good Run,' adding to a total of $23,500 prize money. However, she didn't make it big during the final Bonus Round, losing the cash prize of $100k.
If you are being subjected to domestic abuse or know of anyone else who is, please visit The National Domestic Violence Hotline website, call 1-800-799-7233, or text LOVEIS to 22522.