ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / ECONOMY & WORK

'Wheel of Fortune' contestant's daughter sheds tears of joy after $40,000 win — makes fans emotional

"So happy for him!! And his daughter getting emotional was so sweet, too!" a fan reacted.
UPDATED DEC 17, 2025
Vanna White and contestant Dedric on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Cover Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)
Vanna White and contestant Dedric on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Cover Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune)

"Wheel of Fortune" at times creates powerful moments of triumph and an emotional connection between the audience and the contestant. Fans had been frustrated by bonus round losses, but, a player named Dedric broke the dry spell to collect a $40,000 cash prize. His 10-year-old daughter, Ashton, shed tears of joy after watching her father win. Fans couldn't stop admiring the touching moment between father and daughter filled with innocence.

Wheel
Ryan Seacrest and contestant Dedric on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Image Source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune) 

Dedric dominated the game show from the start. He quickly solved the Second Toss-Up and won $2,000 with the answer "Seen a Ghost." During the Prize Puzzle - Phrase round, he guessed the right puzzle, "The Ultimate in Tranquility," and won a trip to Patagonia worth $16,390. Dedric won the Triple Toss-Up round twice and collected $4,000. Thus, bringing his total to $20,740. He then emerged as the top winner and proceeded to the Bonus Round

Wheel
Contestant Dedric's family on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Image Source: YouTube| Wheel of Fortune) 

"I have my lovely wife, Janelle, and my ten-year-old daughter, Ashton," Dedric said while introducing his family to host Ryan Seacrest before giving the wheel a big spin. He chose the puzzle category "What are you doing?" Dedric had the standard letters R, S, T, L, N, and E, and chose G, D, C, and the vowel A. The board then showed " _, _, _, _, N, G, A, G, L, _, T, C, _."

Wheel
Vanna White and contestant Dedric on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Image Source: YouTube| Wheel of Fortune) 

With the new letters, Dedric successfully solved the puzzle and answered, "Fixing a glitch," within 10 seconds. This earned him an additional $40,000, bringing his total to $64,740. "Put a big bow on all this cash. $40,000," Seacrest reacted as Dedric expressed his excitement and happiness on stage with a little dance. "What does it feel like in this moment?" Seacrest asked as Dedric's wife and daughter joined them for the celebration. 

Wheel
Vanna White and contestant Dedric on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Image Source: YouTube| Wheel of Fortune)

"Oh, man, I don't know. I'm still processing, but, man, this has been great," Dedric replied, choking a little. As the camera panned towards an overwhelmed Ashton, she was shedding happy tears for her father. "Wheel of Fortune" fans couldn't hold back as they witnessed the sweet moment. "It was wonderful. The tears of your daughter were lovely," @sy-kd6km commented. "So happy for him!! And his daughter getting emotional was so sweet, too!" @loveforeignaccents chimed in. 

Wheel
Contestant Dedric's daughter Ashton on 'Wheel of Fortune' (Image Source: YouTube| Wheel of Fortune) 

"That was a good solve. At the same time I was trying to figure out the puzzle he nearly solved it instantly," @tima.curtis2488 praised. "Same puzzle on Nov 23, 2018, and solved for $36K," @sammylerman7136 pointed out. "We have a big winner Happy Holidays," @annettecarlin4800 celebrated. 

You can watch the touching moment here

More on Market Realist:

'Wheel of Fortune' fans convinced player was 'robbed' of $40,000 as they 'heard her' say the right answer

'Wheel of Fortune' contestant tackles Ryan Seacrest to the ground in bizarre TV moment

'Wheel of Fortune' player loses $40,000 bonus after an unfortunate twist in her letter choices

RELATED TOPICS WHEEL OF FORTUNE
MORE ON MARKET REALIST
"Boo, Boo!...BOOTS I was cursed by B and F again today," a fan criticized.
51 minutes ago
A recently released study showed the figures that were tracked throughout 2024.
12 hours ago
“We have a fiscal problem,” Romer said. “If we don’t solve it, that will create problems for everybody, including the Fed.”
13 hours ago
The move comes as part of Trump's tactics to make immigration into America more costly and difficult.
16 hours ago
Under Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Trump administration has significantly slashed vaccinations against diseases.
18 hours ago
The image showcased an upgraded airline seat with plenty of legroom, but no in-flight entertainment screen and a reverse orientation.
18 hours ago
Despite the understated nature of some jobs across various industries, they are always in high demand.
19 hours ago
"Alison didn't get the letter combo right, but she still managed to do a backflip! $45K and cruise!" a fan reacted.
1 day ago
Things turned out for the better for the shopper in the end, but the miscommunication was incredible.
1 day ago
The Democrat has worked as a Senator, Vice President, and President, allowing him to earn big.
1 day ago
The subway system is used by thousands but it is not in the best shape to be that expensive.
1 day ago
Zohran Mamdani only recently took the oath as a New York mayor and has already been underestimated.
1 day ago
"Happy New Year" is the theme for this week, but for bonus rounds, it should be Unhappy New Year," a fan reacted.
2 days ago
The Affordable Care Act subsidies came to an end which will raise healthcare premiums.
4 days ago
According to WARN Tracker, big names like are set to lay off more workers.
4 days ago
As the ACA subsidies came to an end in 2025, healthcare premium prices are set to go up.
4 days ago
The prices of 350 drugs will be increased by some notable companies like Pfizer and Sanofi.
4 days ago
The tariffs will hit consumers a lot worse in 2026 than the impact they had in 2025.
4 days ago
The divergence in the recovery of income levels of the poor and the rich is likely to keep growing.
4 days ago
Maureen couldn't make it because of her choice of words, despite performing well earlier.
5 days ago