By Jamie Strickland
For Nathaniel Bush, stepping onto the “Wheel of Fortune” stage was the culmination of a journey shaped by loss, healing and creativity — one that ultimately led him to Johnston County, to love, and to a moment he wishes his mother could have seen.
Bush’s connection to the long-running game show began years before he ever filled out an application. Growing up, “Wheel of Fortune” was a familiar presence in his family’s living room.
He recalled the moment last year when his husband suggested he apply to be on the show.
“We were watching the show and I was casually solving puzzles,” Bush said.“I was telling him how my mother and aunt would watch this after the evening news. I used to also casually solve puzzles when it was on at her house.”
His mother, Mary Bush, passed away in 2019. Applying for the show became a way to reconnect with something that once brought them together.
“I felt like it would be so cool to give it a shot,” he said.
That same year marked a turning point in Bush’s life. After losing someone close to him in the Orlando Pulse Nightclub shooting, he moved from Florida to North Carolina in search of healing.
What began as an effort to cope with grief eventually became the place where he rebuilt his life — creatively, spiritually and personally.
In Johnston County, Bush found community and purpose. He joined the Neuse River Writers group, volunteered with the LGBT Center of Raleigh, began performing poetry at events and community gatherings and discovered yoga as both a personal practice and a way to serve others. While working at A Caring Heart Case Management in Smithfield, he began leading yoga sessions for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities — the first time he taught yoga publicly.
He also performed poetry at venues and events throughout the region, using art as a way to process trauma, explore faith and connect with others.
It was also in Johnston County where Bush fell in love and got married.
When Bush applied to “Wheel of Fortune” in early 2025, he had no idea where it would lead. After two Zoom interviews, he received the call to go out and film that summer.
“I flew to Los Angeles for the first time ever and got a chance to see Hollywood,” he said.
From the moment he arrived, the experience felt surreal.
“The Wheel of Fortune team was so kind, professional and well organized,” Bush said. “I kept saying, ‘it’s a well-oiled machine.’”
Meeting hosts Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest stood out as a highlight.
“They are genuinely nice people,” he said. “Vanna even came out and introduced herself before going into hair and makeup and I just felt a real southern charm from her.”
As an aspiring writer and performer, Bush knew he wanted to bring his creative voice with him onto the stage. When given the chance, he shared an original poem — a rare and personal moment on a nationally televised game show.
“Getting the chance to perform an original poem on “Wheel of Fortune” is a full circle moment for me,” he said. “My mother would have been so proud to see me on TV.”
Bush’s episode aired on Christmas Night 2025. Ultimately, he won a trip for two to New Zealand, including a tour of the studio where “The Lord of the Rings” films were made.
“I’m super excited about that,” he said. “We love to travel so we never imagined going to New Zealand and we’re so stoked about it.”
Bush continues to write and perform, working toward the release of his third poetry collection, “Orange,” later this year. His first novel, “4 Seasons” is scheduled for release this October — his mother’s birthday.
For Bush, “Wheel of Fortune” wasn’t just a game. It was a moment where grief, healing, love and creativity converged — a reminder that sometimes, the most meaningful wins are in the stories we carry with us.
