EASTON, Pa. — Rickhaslo "Ricky" Brown jumped up and down and gave "Wheel of Fortune" host Ryan Seacrest a hug.
Brown had a good reason to embrace Seacrest during Wednesday's episode of the ABC-TV game show.
For guessing the phrase "As You Wish" during the bonus round, Brown, a West Ward resident, walked away with $60,000 in cash prizes.
"A lot of the answers just popped in my head, especially the final one. I had no idea what it was and then it hit me."Easton resident Rickhaslo Brown on winning "Wheel of Fortune"
He also won a cruise to Canada and New England courtesy of Holland America (it happens to be "Cruise Week" on the show, now in its 42nd season).
"As you saw, a lot of the answers just popped in my head, especially the final one," Brown said at a watch party inside Rivals Sports Bar and Restaurant, as he wiped away tears of joy.
"I had no idea what it was and then it hit me."
A proud family
At the party, Brown; his wife, Heather; and their 11-year-old son, Khenan, screamed in joy.
About 20 family and friends joined in by clapping and cheering as Brown bought vowels, spun the wheel and advanced to the last round.
During commercial breaks, Brown walked from table to table, offering up tidbits from his experience on the beloved game show.
Every so often, he glanced down at his Smartwatch, which flashed notifications.
"My colleagues at the hospital were blowing up my phone," he said of his co-workers at Trenton Psychiatric Hospital, where he has worked for 17 years.
"The staff and the patients all watched it tonight."
His family also was sending messages to his phone via What'sApp from his native Jamaica.
"For us, for me, it's amazing that someone from [the] island is on American television," he said. "I am so thankful and humbled by the experience."
'Always been good at guessing'
As a young boy living on the Caribbean island, Brown said, he would watch "Wheel of Fortune" with his late grandmother, Eliza.
Moving from Jamaica to America was one dream he accomplished, he said.
The opportunity to appear on the beloved game show was another.
"If my grandma was here she would probably be crying right now," he said.
Midway through the episode, when Brown's wheel hit on the "Bankrupt" wedge, the crowd booed.
But he guessed the right consonants and secured a lead against the two other "Wheel" contestants.
"I'm so proud of him, but not surprised because I knew he was good at playing 'Wheel of Fortune,"' Brown's father-in-law exclaimed as he wrapped his arm around his son-in-law.
"He's always been good at guessing word games."
A 'Wheel of Fortune' hit song?
With the cash winnings, the Browns said they plan to renovate their home — but not before they take a well-deserved vacation, courtesy of Holland America.
"We always wanted to go on a cruise," Ricky Brown said. "My family has all been on cruises, so we've always talked about it.
"And the fact that we get to go to Canada is great because we were supposed to vacation there, but then the COVID lockdown happened."
The couple traveled to Los Angeles to film the episode in November.
Brown on Wednesday recounted the story of how a song he wrote ended up on the show.
He said that one night, his son Khenan repeated a catchphrase from "Wheel" after hearing an advertisement on his iPad.
"I was in my kitchen and Khenan repeated the phrase, "Wheel of Fortune is the Place to Be," Brown said.
That same evening, Ricky Brown, a reggae performer and songwriter (he met his wife after one of his concerts at the former Crocodile Rock Cafe in Allentown) wrote a medley and emailed the show's producers.
On Wednesday's episode, he performed the song — sans a band — much to the delight of Seacrest and longtime "Wheel" host Vanna White.
Elated from his spot on TV, Brown, who admitted to Seacrest he was nervous, would gladly go back if asked.
"If the song [or episode] goes viral, they will invite me on again," he said.
"If not, I have to wait another two years. But I would love to be on 'Top Wheel of Fortune.'"
