Former Schaumburg resident wins 'Wheel of Fortune'

A former Daily Herald Media Group executive and Schaumburg resident was the queen of "Wheel of Fortune" in a segment that aired Monday evening.

Kelly Bolyard, who now lives and works in Hawaii, won nearly $14,000 and won the show. She filmed the show in September when "Wheel of Fortune" went on the road to Hawaii.

"It was so much fun," said Bolyard, who is a huge fan of the show.

The process of getting onto "Wheel of Fortune" was almost more difficult than the show itself, with written tests, fake puzzles and practice spinning the wheel. Bolyard was assistant vice president for Interactive Media at the Daily Herald at the time she left in December 2012.

The "Wheel of Fortune" contest was relatively even between the three contestants until Bolyard pulled away at the end. She ran the table on one puzzle, starting out spinning the wheel and successfully guessing letters until she figured out the answer to "What are you doing?" was "Standing up on a paddleboard."

She missed the answer in the bonus round - guessing "ripe avocado" would have won her another $32,000 - but Bolyard walked away with $13,900. "I have an avocado tree in my backyard," she lamented to Sajak.

Bolyard said she will likely use her winnings to help fly her three daughters and other family members to visit her in Hawaii.

Meeting the "Wheel's" iconic hosts was another highlight.

"She is more beautiful in person than she is on TV," Bolyard said of Vanna White. "She doesn't look like she's aged at all. Plus, she was super warm and friendly."

Although she didn't win a big vacation or a million-dollar prize, Bolyard said she still enjoyed her half-hour of fame the long-running game show.

"It was like a blur," Bolyard said. "I was so happy. They make you feel like a star for the day. It's a lifetime memory I will always remember."