Three members of the North Providence, RI Local 2334 stepped out of the firehouse and onto the national stage on the popular game show, Wheel of Fortune.
Darren Gallagher won first place, followed by Tim Stebenne in second, and Missy Porter in third.
“Just unbelievable memories for the whole thing,” said Stebenne.
Porter says what initially began as a joke with coworkers quickly turned into something much bigger.
“My colleague looks at me and jokes, ‘Hey, by the way, we submitted an application for you to be on the show,’” she said. “I thought, no way, but then the game show staff actually called me for an interview. I went through the whole process, which lasted almost two months, and nearly a year later, they reached out again. They wanted me back for another round and asked if I had a few coworkers who might want to join.”
That’s when Gallagher and Stebenne joined for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to compete.
“We didn’t even know we’d be competing against each other until a few days before the taping,” said Porter. “Even once we got there, we weren’t guaranteed a spot.”
As taping day approached, Gallagher says the team’s nerves started to kick in.
“Missy and Tim were just nervous wrecks the morning that we taped,” said Gallagher. “And I was like, I just need something to eat, and let’s get it done. But we had a great time, and just being fire fighters up there added another element of realism and relatability. A bunch of fire fighters out there and you can kind of relate to the banter that was going back and forth with us on the stage.”
Stebenne says the experience was unforgettable, while commending Gallagher on his big win.
“Darren is very good at the show,” said Stebenne. “I still can’t believe I came in second place. I went into this thing with the expectation that we were going to be on the same team. And they’re both very good at the show, so I have no idea how I came in second place, but it happened, so I’ll have that to hold over Missy’s head forever.”
Porter grew up watching the show with her grandmother as a child and says the experience held personal significance. “We’ve literally been watching it for as long as I can remember, so to have it come to fruition and be on there is just unbelievable,” she said.
Since the show aired, Gallagher says the community’s response has been encouraging.
“I’m in the bank parking lot right now, and the tellers inside were like, ’Hey, weren’t you on Wheel of Fortune?’ A few people came up to me along the way. My phone actually blew up that night. It’s kind of calmed down a bit now, but I’ve heard from so many people reaching out saying, ‘Oh hey, I saw you on TV.’ It’s been really great,” said Gallagher.
The game show was more than just a competition for cash prizes, but a chance to share camaraderie with familiar faces within the fire service.
“We all did really well. It was well worth our time with the travel, the effort. I was hoping we’d all at least break even, and we did better than that,” said Stebenne.
“Darren, Tim, and Missy reminded the public of what we see every day — fire fighters support one another, both on and off the job. They made all of us proud with how they represented North Providence, the 3rd District, and our IAFF on the national stage,” said 3rd District Vice President Jay Colbert.
