Ever since she was a kid and learned how to read, Reesa Cooper has been a fan of Wheel of Fortune.
She’s always been pretty good at it.
Cooper, a Parrish resident, decided at the start of 2023 that it was going to “be the year to sign up, step out, just do it,” for all areas. And when longtime host Pat Sajak announced his retirement in the summer last year, Cooper figured the time to try getting on the show was now.
On the Jan. 26 episode, Cooper wasn’t just on Wheel of Fortune. She won the game and the bonus round.
The bonus puzzle answer, “I want to buy a few things,” was solved on her second guess and yielded a $40,000 bonus prize.
“(Pat) said, ‘Of course you do,’” said Cooper, whose winnings totaled $58,750. “We’ve watched it back quite a few times.”
Parrish woman wins Wheel of Fortune
A Southern California native, Cooper went through a process that started in the summer of 2023 for the episode that aired in late January.
First, she applied with a short video audition. Then she received a call back for a series of video auditions, beginning with an interview and then a virtual competition with other contestants.