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A Central Islip man spun his way to $27,167 and a Tuscany vacation on national television Thursday — and he made it look easy.
Dereck Johnson, 56, appeared on “Wheel of Fortune” during the show’s Hawaiian Vacation Week, walking away with cash and prizes that included a trip to a luxury villa in Italy.
Johnson, a Major League Baseball employee who was recently inducted into the New York City Pride Basketball Hall of Fame, wasted no time making his mark.
He solved the opening toss-up to set the tone and later took control of the game in the Mystery Round, solving “SLOW DOWN, THIS ISN’T THE MAINLAND” for $6,500.
One of his spins landed on the “Bankrupt” panel during the Prize Puzzle/Express Round, but he bounced back, loading up letters and solving “STUNNING TURN OF EVENTS” to win a trip to Villa Michaela in Tuscany valued at $7,167.
Johnson then swept all three puzzles in the Triple Toss-Up, padding his total and putting the game out of reach.
In the Bonus Round, Johnson was joined by his husband Tom, Aunt Kim and his self-described “work mom,” Cecille. He narrowly missed solving the final puzzle, which would have tacked on a 2026 Toyota Tacoma to his haul.
Top: Dereck Johnson during his appearance on “Wheel of Fortune” (YouTube still/Wheel of Fortune).
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