“HEARTSTOPPING MOMENT ON ‘WHEEL OF FORTUNE’ — MARINE VETERAN STUMBLES AND WALKS AWAY WITH NOTHING!” Fans were left speechless as a proud Marine contestant, after months of preparation, froze on a critical puzzle and saw $40,000 slip through his fingers. Social media exploded with outrage, disbelief, and sympathy, with viewers calling it “the most gut-wrenching moment in game show history.” Studio cameras captured every heartbeat, every pause, and every look of shock on the contestant’s face. What was meant to be a triumphant night turned into a dramatic lesson in nerves, pressure, and the unpredictability of live television. Even seasoned viewers couldn’t believe how quickly victory vanished in the blink of an eye.

A marine veteran lost out on taking home an additional $40,000 on Wheel of Fortune. He stumbled over the Bonus Round puzzle, and many fans thought the game show should have given him the win, saying that he “stuttered” at the crucial moment.

Ron Sheppard, from Clarksville, Tennessee, played against Devin Green, from Lacey, Washington, and Hillary Hudson, from Jacksonville, Florida, on Thursday, November 13. Sheppard is a retired veteran who has been married for 36 years. He shared that the key to their success is that they each have their own TV and watch shows separately.

Green, a retired Army field artilleryman, solved both toss-ups, giving him $3,000. Sheppard solved the first puzzle — “Mess Hall of Mirrors” — for $4.850.

Sheppard also solved “Playing Minecraft” for $8,500. Green solved the prize puzzle — “Everybody’s So Nice and Polite” — and won a trip to British Columbia, Canada, worth $8,768, giving him $14,668 and the lead.

Sheppard solved two of three triple toss-ups. Hudson, a Navy veteran who helps out the homeless vets in her town, finally got on the board when she solved the last one for $2,000.

Sheppard  took the lead when he solved the final puzzle — “Cried During a Commercial.” He had $20,000.

Green took home $14,668. Hudson had $2,000. Sheppard chose “Thing” for his Bonus Round category.

Host Ryan Seacrest asked Sheppard’s wife, Dawn, if she would watch him on her TV when his episode airs. “Absolutely,” she nodded.

Sheppard shared that they would watch it together. “Finally, a show you can watch together,” Seacrest joked.

After Wheel of Fortune gave him “R,S,T,L,N, and E,” the huge football fan chose “M,G,C, and O.” The puzzle then looked like “O_ _ECT_ _E  O_ _N_ON.”

As the clock counted down, Sheppard guessed “Olecture Onion,” …”Opinion,” “Objectionable Opinion.” He stumbled over his words and couldn’t guess it in time.

However, he was close. The puzzle was “Objective Opinion.” Sheppard added another syllable to the first word. $40,000 was in the envelope.

Fans thought he was close enough and should have won. “I think they should of gave him that. He just had a stutter!” a YouTuber user asked. 

“He definitely stuttered on the last guess,” said another.

“Wait, didn’t he say it at the very end, but he stuttered? I know they can be picky, but it was obvious he solved it lol,” a third added. 

“Poor guy had a stutter, cut the old man some slack!! He knew what it was,” another wrote.