Ohio art teacher hits the jackpot on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and gives her mother a birthday she'll never forget
With over 8000 episodes and 42 successful seasons, 'Wheel of Fortune' continues not only to entertain but also to make viewers emotional. While, for the most part, contestants can be seen getting sentimental about their major wins, there have been instances when their loved ones couldn’t hold back their feelings either. In one such instance, a player's mother is seen shedding tears when her daughter won $72,000, and that too on the occasion of her birthday, making the win even more meaningful.
The contestant was Janine Crum, an art teacher and owner of a local artist studio from Westerville, Ohio. During her introduction, she shared with host Ryan Seacrest that she had once considered auditioning for 'American Idol' but backed out at the last minute, per TV Insider. Crum then competed against Josh Crowell from Dubuque, Iowa, and DeShannon March from Huntsville, Alabama. The game began with a close first round, with Crowell in the lead with $3,250 and March following closely with $3,100.
Crum, on the other hand, was just behind with $3,000. The turning point came during the Express Round, where Crum dominated. She controlled the wheel for most of the round and successfully solved the three-word puzzle 'Cherry Blossom Season.' This earned her $5,950 in cash plus a trip to Japan worth $13,498. By the end of that round, Crum came out ahead with a total of $22,448 in cash and prizes, establishing a strong lead.
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Crum then advanced to the Bonus Round, where she chose the often-tricky 'Phrase' category. Before attempting the final puzzle, Crum introduced her mom, Barb, who had come along to support her. "Tonight is her birthday," Crum told the Seacrest, to which he playfully responded, "I can read Barb's body language; she would love to go to Japan with you." Crum then picked her bonus letters, C, D, M, and O, which filled in part of the puzzle, leaving her with, "_ _ C / _ E S T O N / O R / O _."
Without wasting any time, Crum solved the puzzle with ease, "Quick Question For You." The correct answer earned her an additional $40,000, which brought her total to $71,948 in cash and prizes, including the trip to Japan. After learning about her big win, Crum can be seen jumping excitedly. An emotional Barb then ran over to celebrate with her daughter in what turned into a very joyful birthday moment. Fans were also elated by Crum's victory and took to the comment section of the YouTube video to express their support for her.
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A fan commented, "Congratulations Janine and Happy Birthday Barb," while another added, "Congratulations Janine on winning 40k happy birthday barb." A fan remarked, "Way to go, Janine! That was a tough Bonus Puzzle, but you got it right anyway! And you won $71,948! Tell your mother I said, "Happy Birthday!" as well!" While a fan shared, "That's definitely a well deserving birthday present."
Talking about the experience in an interview with The Westerville News, Crum shared, "When I finally made it to the stage, any sense of nervousness evaporated, and I was running on joy and adrenaline!” She further added, "The lights, the sounds, the set, all of it was more exciting than I could even begin to express. Being there was an absolute dream!"