‘Wheel of Fortune’ Pat Sajak’s Daughter Tears Up Over Retirement

Pat Sajak is retiring after this week’s Wheel of Fortune episodes. In preparation for his retirement, he is taking part in an extensive sit-down interview with his daughter, Maggie Sajak. Maggie is the game show’s social media correspondent, and she has teared up with the talk about what Pat will do next.

Here is what made Maggie tear up when talking about her dad.

Maggie Sajak Tears Up Over Pat Sajak’s Retirement Plans

On top of their one-on-one interview for the Wheel of Fortune YouTube page, the father and daughter also sat down for an interview with Good Morning America. Pat said he is happy with the idea of retirement and wants to settle down into the “simple life.”
Maggie Sajak | YouTube
Pat also joked that he is “perfectly happy if it just means that I’ll continue with my crossword puzzles and play with grandchildren. Hint hint hint.” It was a fun little comment toward his daughter, Maggie, with Pat letting her know he wants to be a grandpa.

Maggie laughed, and Pat said, “No pressure.” Neither of Pat’s children (he also has a son named Patrick) has children yet. However, things got a little more personal at the end of the interview. Maggie began to tear up when she said that her dad “made the show a gift.”

She said that her dad took what could have been just a game of “Hangman” and made it a “cultural phenomenon.” Still crying, she thanked him and said he had an amazing 40-plus years on the show.

How Is Pat Sajak Dealing With Leaving Wheel Of Fortune

Maggie Sajak asked her dad how he felt about his final week on Wheel of Fortune. Pat said that he was doing well. He said it was announced a year ago, so he had had time to get used to it.

“It’s been a little bit wistful and all that, but I’m enjoying it and taking it all in and reflecting on a great run,” Pat told his daughter. He also said it was gratifying that he helped engrain Wheel of Fortune into pop culture. Pat filmed his final episodes back in April, and they are finishing up on Friday.

When Maggie asked why it was time to leave, Pat said he could have retired many years before. However, he never felt it was the right time to go. He also said he could have stuck around, but it is always better to “leave a couple years too early than a couple years too late.”

He admitted that there are other things he wants to do in life, and he is looking forward to the future.

What are your thoughts on Pat Sajak’s retirement? Are you sad to see him go? Let us know in the comments below.