Alyssa Tillmon, an intern at the City Manager’s office for the City of Evanston, won $18,800 in cash and prizes on “Wheel of Fortune.”
The episode aired Thursday, Dec. 23 but was recorded Oct. 15. Since then, Tillmon hasn’t been able to tell anyone about her winnings.
“It was very hard holding in such great news, especially since this is one of my greatest achievements,” she said.
Tillmon won $11,000 in cash and a trip to Mexico worth $7,800. If she would have won the bonus round – the final round the winning contestant goes to at the end of the show – she would have won a new car, an Audi Q3.
Tillmon’s grandmother, who got her interested in the game show as a child, watched the show from her home in Andalusia, Alabama. Tillmon said her grandmother was very excited about her big win.
“She told me I was blessed and to enjoy my winnings because I deserve it.”
Tillmon said she plans on saving and investing some of her winnings. She graduates from Northern Illinois University in the spring with a master’s in public administration and will be looking for full-time jobs.