He was on the seventh cloud after winning $145,000 on 'Wheel of Fortune'—then he decided to give it all
Sometimes, things work out for the best — not just for ourselves but for others too. This takes kindness, patience, as well as belief and Scott Kolbrenner had all of it when he played the "Wheel of Fortune" in March 2021. The man had bagged $45,000 already and then got a whopping $100,000. Kolbrenner then made the selfless decision to give it all away, per CNN. The entire process stemmed from hope, pondering, generosity, and more, making the story intriguing. The recipients of this large amount are equally grateful and well deserving and as the details unfold, it becomes an inspiration.
Sharing a post on Facebook, Kolbrenner revealed that at the time, because of COVID, he had nothing much to do and the show was something he’d find comfort in. When he learned they were accepting participants from his area, he decided to give it a shot and made it to the show. “The taping day was filled from beginning to end with kindness — from the parking lot attendant to the associate producers, to my fellow contestants and, yes, to Pat and Vanna,” the man wrote. His entire experience began stirring something in his heart.
“I realize how lucky I am to even have been in a position to do something as fun and frivolous as being on a game show during these times. I’m so appreciative of the experience and I’ll never forget that day,” he mentioned. When he went on the show, he won $45,000. In the video captured by the Wheel of Fortune, Kolbrenner answered a “Spin the Wheel” question on clothing and attire effortlessly and won $100,000. With confetti and cheers erupting, the man was overjoyed. However, he already knew what he wanted to do with the money if he won anything at all. He recalled how things were difficult on the financial front for so many during the pandemic.
“When I went on the show, I was doing it for the fun of it, and I said to my wife, ‘If I do okay here, anything that I get, let’s give it to charity. We’re very fortunate. Let’s see if we can support some others who aren’t as fortunate as we are,’” Kolbrenner recalled. Keeping up with his promise, he decided to donate to two California charities – Uplift Family Services and Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. Words cannot express how many lives were changed due to this man’s kindness. The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank shared a post of thanks, saying, “It takes the whole community to fight food insecurity and the critical work that we do is possible with the help of people like Scott Kolbrenner.”
A year later, in 2022, the show decided to tap into the lives of these winners and shared an update. “As the confetti fell, I knew this would make a great impact,” the man recalled. He added that his purpose in donating to the charities, along with the mission to help them, was also to shed light on contributing to such noble causes. “The whole day was filled with kindness and the money allowed us to amplify that kindness,” Kolbrenner remarked.