Pat Sajak Quits ‘Wheel of Fortune’ after over 40 Years – Daughter Who Became His ‘Nurse Ratched’ Supports Him

• Pat Sajak recently announced that he would retire from "Wheel of Fortune" after over four decades.
• His daughter who took care of him when he fell ill supports him.
• Sajak's wife of over three decades lives away from the spotlight. He sought her after her stint on a dating show made him jealous.

Pat Sajak has had a long-standing career as the face of the game show "Wheel of Fortune." He joined the show in its first season and has been its host ever since.

Recently, Sajak, who built a wonderful life outside Hollywood with a wife and a daughter who now care for him, released a statement about leaving the show after its long run.

Early this month, Sajak announced he would be leaving the show in a statement that read:

"I've decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last. It's been a wonderful ride, and I'll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all. (If nothing else, it'll keep the clickbait sites busy!)."

The statement was released on the host's Twitter, account and many fans shared their thoughts on his retirement by commenting on the tweet. Some commended his impressive career, and others said they would miss him.

Apart from fans who talked about how much they would miss Sajak as a host, his daughter, Maggie, also shared her thoughts on her father ending his more than four-decade career on the show.

The "Wheel of Fortune" official account posted about Sajak's retirement, and Maggie shared that post on her Instagram story and what it meant to her for her father to leave the only show she has ever known him to be on.

Maggie now also works on "Wheel of Fortune" as a social correspondent and said she had had so much fun working with her dad and knew there was even more fun in store during the 41st season, which will be Sajak's last.

Maggie Took Care of Her Father After Surgery

In late 2019, Sajak underwent emergency surgery for a blocked intestine, and while he recovered, his daughter took his place as a guest host on "Wheel of Fortune." Maggie found it bittersweet because even though she was thrilled to be there, she knew her father was unwell.

Maggie admitted that even though she was excited, it was a scary experience. She also knew her father was eager to return to his rightful place as the show's host the following week.

The night before Maggie went on the show as a guest letter-turner, Sajak's long-time co-host Vanna White came to her house and used her refrigerator for practice. Maggie admitted that even though the job looked simple, it was "more complicated than you think."

Apart from filling in for a week on the show, Maggie also helped her father recover from his surgery. Sajak knew something was wrong after he went on an early morning walk with his daughter.

Maggie shared that while they were on the walk, he seemed perfectly fine, but by the time he was getting ready for work, he was doubled over in pain and lying in the fetal position to try and combat his stomach ache.

His daughter shared that Sajak doesn't usually complain, so when she saw him in so much pain, she knew she would need to take it seriously and give immediate attention to it.

Maggie rushed Sajak to the hospital, where they found that he had a life-threatening intestinal blockage. He went into emergency surgery, and when he returned home, he joked:

"Once I got home, she became Nurse Ratched."

Sajak also revealed Maggie would not allow him to pick up anything heavier than a pillow. Maggie agreed that she was strict with her father, but she also said the health scare made her appreciate her father even more.

Who Is Sajak's Private Wife?

Sajak and his wife, Lesly Brown, have been married since 1989, almost as long as he has been hosting "Wheel of Fortune." The couple met through mutual friends in 1988 and became good friends at first.

It didn't take long before Sajak and Brown's relationship turned romantic, and the pair tied the knot the following year. They then expanded their family by welcoming their daughter, Maggie, and son, Patrick.

Before Brown met her husband, she was an aspiring actress and model. She once posed for Playboy's “Women of Washington" issue. She went to school at the University of Maryland and graduated just two years before she met Sajak, with a degree in television production.

Sajak and Brown met at the opening of their friend's sports bar, but it was not love at first sight. Sajak recalled:

"There was no electricity in the air. The subject of [Brown] didn't come up in my car ride home."

They became friends and would talk on the phone and visit with one another, but neither of them saw anything romantic. But after several months as friends, they began to develop feelings for one another.

During the months when their relationship was turning into something more than a platonic friendship, Brown was selected to appear on "The Dating Show." Brown went on vacation to Mexico with the man who had chosen her on the show.

Sajak admitted he was annoyed by that, and Brown thought the "borderline jealousy" was good. That trip made Sajak realize that Brown was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

In the summer of 1989, Sajak proposed to Brown with a three-carat marquise ring. The short engagement resulted in the couple tying the knot in a catholic church in Annapolis, Maryland, on New Year's Eve.

They have since shared a beautiful marriage but remained private about their union. Brown prefers to stay out of the spotlight, even though both of the couple's children have been on "Wheel of Fortune." We wish Sajak all the best with his retirement.

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