One Wheel of Fortune contestant got the surprise of a lifetime, thanks to some help from Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White.
To celebrate Wheel of Fortune’s 50th anniversary, Ryan and Vanna are celebrating some milestones at Sony Pictures Studios.
And, as it turned out, a milestone actually took place on set earlier in the week.
Ryan and Vanna recorded a video posted to YouTube explaining how they contributed to two Wheel of Fortune contestants getting engaged on stage.
Robin Kuriakose, the boyfriend of former Wheel of Fortune contestant Rhea Mathew, reached out to Wheel of Fortune for some help.
As Vanna explains in the YouTube video, Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton collaborated with Vanna and Ryan to create “a bit of a ruse.”
Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest convinced a former contestant she was returning for a ‘redemption’ round
With Jim’s help, they were able to convince California resident Rhea that she was returning to Wheel of Fortune for a “redemption” round to help celebrate the show’s 50th anniversary.
Footage showed Rhea buzzing in to solve a puzzle in the “Phrase” category, which read, “Will You Marry Me?”
As Rhea celebrated her win, the double doors to the stage opened, and her then-boyfriend, Robin, emerged, much to her surprise.
Rhea’s smile soon shifted, and her jaw dropped to the floor when she realized who was standing on stage.
Robin popped the question on stage
As Rhea approached Robin, he grabbed her hands, got down on one knee, and asked, “Rhea Susan Mathew, will you marry me?”
Rhea was brought to tears as she accepted Robin’s proposal, and the couple shared a kiss. Wheel of Fortune audience members cheered them on as the video ended.
Vanna called the moment “heartwarming,” and Ryan added, “I love that we can do that on this show.”
In the comments section of the YouTube video, Wheel watchers shared their reactions, calling Rhea’s reaction “the best” and Robin’s proposal an “unexpected, yet unique way to pop the question!!!”
Robin and Rhea thank Wheel of Fortune for making their on-stage engagement possible
Robin, a California-based eye surgeon, headed to the comments, where he expressed his gratitude.
“Thank you all for the kind words – It was truly a moment we’ll never forget!!” he wrote. “An absolutely amazing team that made this all happen.”
The once-in-a-lifetime moment was also shared on Wheel of Fortune’s Instagram feed in a Reel captioned, “Screaming, crying, losing our minds over this sweet Wheel proposal! 😭”
Rhea made her way to the comments to express her gratitude as well.
“AHHH thank you thank you thank you for making this into a reality!!!” she wrote. “Beyond even my wildest of dreams!!”
Rhea admits Robin’s proposal blindsided her: ‘I’m still in shock’
Before the shocking moment on stage, Rhea stopped to chat with Wheel of Fortune’s social correspondent, Maggie Sajak, who was in on the secret and played coy during their interview.
When asked how she felt being back on Wheel of Fortune, Rhea admitted, “It feels incredible!”
Rhea said she felt like the “luckiest person” to have the opportunity to appear on Wheel of Fortune once, but when she was asked to return for a second time, it was something she “truly never saw coming.”
Little did she know that her life was about to change when she took the stage.
After her special on-stage moment, Rhea rejoined Maggie on stage, asking, “What the heck?!”
Rhea called her engagement the “most elaborate proposal I could have ever… I cannot even imagine.”
“I’m still in shock,” she confessed.