The Day Vanna White's World Changed Forever

Back in 1982, Vanna White landed her dream job as the iconic letter-turner on Wheel of Fortune. Life was absolutely rolling in her favor. But just four years into her tenure alongside Pat Sajak, tragedy struck. Her fiancé, actor John Gibson, was at the controls of a plane when it tragically crashed near an airport outside Los Angeles on May 17, 1986. Vanna, now 62, recounted the devastating moment to People, saying, "The second I heard about it, I fell to my knees. It was just devastating." Losing the man she was planning to spend the rest of her life with was an unimaginable blow, but Vanna found solace in the outpouring of love and support from fans who had experienced similar losses.

How Fans Became Vanna's Lifeline

Vanna revealed how the kindness of strangers played a crucial role in helping her heal. "I heard from so many people who had shared the same experience of losing someone instantly in an accident, and that really helped me," she shared. "I didn’t feel like I was alone. Because when something like that happens, you immediately think you’re the only one." That sense of connection with others who understood her pain was invaluable during such a dark period in her life.

vanna-white-fiance-death — Kobal/Shutterstock

Love and Loss: Finding Strength in Vulnerability

After John's passing, Vanna found love once more with restaurateur George Santo Pietro. They tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony in 1990, marking the start of a new chapter in her life. However, heartbreak would visit her again just two years later. In 1992, during an episode of Wheel of Fortune, Vanna announced her pregnancy to her millions of fans. The news was revealed when the solution to one of the puzzles read, "Vanna's Pregnant." But just a week later, she had to share the heartbreaking news that she had suffered a miscarriage. "I so wanted to be pregnant and have a baby, so when I finally got pregnant, I wanted to tell the world immediately," she explained. "Obviously, losing the baby was devastating after announcing it. But the good news is I was able to get pregnant again and have two beautiful, healthy children," she added, referring to her son Niko, 25, and daughter Gigi, 22.