‘Wheel of Fortune’ viewers are reeling after a Marine veteran’s heartbreaking $57,000 loss that has everyone talking. What started as a dream moment quickly turned into shock as one tiny mistake cost him the prize of a lifetime. Fans flooded social media with outrage and sympathy, calling it “the most emotional moment in the show’s history.” Now, the veteran himself is speaking out — and what he revealed about grace, strength, and second chances has the whole nation in tears.

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What To Know

Marine veteran Christina Silva competed on Wheel of Fortune during Veterans Week, ultimately losing out on a $40,000 bonus after failing to solve the final puzzle “Winding Path.”
Silva won $17,889 and a trip to the Football Hall of Fame, while fellow contestants Stephanie Collings and Sonny Clair, also veterans, won $15,367 and $4,000, respectively.
Silva expressed pride in representing the Marine Corps on the show’s 250th Marine Corps Birthday and described the experience as a “once in a lifetime opportunity” on Instagram.

A Marine veteran has spoken out after making it to the Bonus Round on Wheel of Fortune. Sadly, she failed to win the $40,000 jackpot on what many thought was an easy puzzle. If she had been successful, she would have brought her winning total to more than $57,000. Her appearance came as the game show is celebrating veterans all week to coincide with the November 11 commemoration.

Christina Silva, from El Segundo, California, played against Stephanie Collings, from Odenton, Maryland, and Sonny Clair, from Alcoa, Tennessee, on November 10. Silva is a career motorcyclist in the Marines, which means she helps Marines get certified in safety on their motorcycles.

Silva spoke out on her Instagram about her time on Wheel of Fortune. “BREAKING NEWS @CRSONAIR!!!! USMC Veteran, Christina Silva, exclaims, ‘I SPUN the BIG WHEEL during the ‘Celebrating Veterans Week’ on Wheel of Fortune!!!’ My show airs on the coveted 250th MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY, tomorrow at 7:30 pm Pacific on ABC! Please tune in! S E M P E R F I D E L I S!” she wrote.

Collings, an Air Force veteran of five years, solved the first toss-up. Clair, a Navy veteran of eight years, solved the second one.

Silva solved the first puzzle, “Be The Life of the Party,” and won a trip to the Football Hall of Fame, a concert, dinner, and more in Ohio. This gave her $11,089.

Collings put $1,000 in her bank when she solved the “Before and After” puzzle — “Cordless Drill Instructor.” She also won a trip to Tuscany, Italy, during the Prize Puzzle round after solving “Ravioli in Cream Sauce.” This gave her $11,367 and the lead.

She also solved two of the three triple toss-ups, while Clair solved one of them. Silva took first place back when she solved “My Wacky Neighbor” for $6,800. She had $17,889. Clair went home with $4,000. Collings had $15,367.

For the Bonus Round, Silva picked “Place.” After being given “R,S,T,L,N, and E,” she chose “C,D,H, and A” to round out her puzzle.

It then looked like “_ _ND_N_   _ATH.” Silva couldn’t guess “Winding Path” before the timer ran out. She lost out on an additional $40,000.

On her Instagram, Silva also wrote, “Once in a lifetime opportunity! Since I was a kid, I remember watching the show with my mom and family. Moreover, to be a winner and have to show air on Marine Corps 250th Birthday is unforgettable! Photo credit to J.Snead.”