Growing up, JP Welliver watched Wheel of Fortune with his family every night.
Lititz's Welliver was obsessed with the show's co-host Vanna White and played the franchise's board games. He even learned to spell through the show's daily challenges.
I feel like I came out of my mother's womb wanting to be on the show, Welliver said.
After decades of fandom, Welliver was finally able to spin the giant wheel himself.
Welliver appears as a contestant on an upcoming episode of Wheel of Fortune, airing locally at 7 p.m. Wednesday on CBS.
Welliver recorded with host Pat Sajak during the TV Personalities' final week of filming after more than 40 years. The last episode of Sajak will air on June 7.
Welliver, 36, works primarily as an account manager for the Lititz-based company WebstaurantStore.
He is also involved in the local art scene; he works as one of the building managers at the Ephrata Performing Arts Center and often appears in local theater productions. Welliver is a member of the ensemble Next production of Cabaret by EPAC. Shows begin July 25 and end August 10.
He is also Director of Music at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Penryn.
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Welliver first auditioned for the show about 10 years ago. Since then, he has been exchanging audition videos with the expected silence. Welliver sent a final application in 2020, then heard nothing for three years.
Welliver was eventually granted a call-back audition in April 2023. He competed remotely among a group of possible candidates in a simulation of the game, solving four sets of 16 challenge puzzles.
Shortly after, he was invited to Los Angeles to fulfill his childhood dream. The episode was taped earlier this spring.
Welliver aspired to be on the show after spending years cheering on contestants at home. He persisted in his quest for an audition.
When you do this alone, it's like: I can be up there. I want to do it, Welliver said.
To prepare for the recording, Welliver watched old episodes of Wheel of Fortune on Pluto TV and stayed alert using a desk calendar containing daily puzzles.
When the day finally arrived, Welliver was over the moon.
It was super fun, super surreal, Welliver said. It's the fastest 22 minutes of your life. You're up there and it's done so quickly.
Even though the experience happened quickly, Welliver isn't ready to forget it.
If you have a childhood dream, Welliver said, whether it's on the Wheel of Fortune or not, don't give up.
