TOMAH, Wis. (WKBT) — If you caught “The Price is Right” Thursday morning, you may have noticed a contestant with western Wisconsin ties.

Francis Hewuses Jr. is a Tomah pastor. He and his wife Tammy went to California for a hiking trip a few months ago, and on a whim, wound up right next to Drew Carey.

In between California hikes in October, it was a call from family that started it all.

“My mother-in-law says when they went out to California many years ago, one of her regrets was she wanted to go to Hollywood and try to get on the Price is Right–that’s actually what she said,” Hewuse said.

He couldn’t believe he didn’t think of the idea himself.

“I’ve watched it all my life, I knew all the games.”

A few taps on the phone to get tickets, a little waiting in line, an interview with assistants about his background, and next thing he knew, he was on the contestant floor.

“I’m like a deer in headlights, truly what I felt like. Oh my gosh, I got called.”

Fran jumped right into Shell Game, each time looking to Tammy in the crowd.

“The one prize that I got wrong, I did look at her and she said higher, and I went lower, and I lost. I just thought oh gosh, I’m never going to hear the end of that one. That one’s always going to haunt me, and a lot of people have already commented on that,” he laughed.

Fran made it to the showcase, winning two trips.

“New Zealand is one of my bucket list places. When I saw that came up, I just about freaked.”

And during the showcase, a new car. 

“All the models were like, ‘Don’t you want to go to the car?’ And I’m like, I’ll get to the car. I just want to be on this couch and hug my wife.”

For a longtime fan like him, Fran says the show even went an extra mile. 

“When I was watching as a kid, they’d always give a license plate cover to people who won a car…Someone said I’m sorry, we don’t do that anymore. But before I left, one of the assistants there went and found one of the old ones and gave it to me.”

Unplanned. Unforgettable. And maybe now a fun example to use for his next sermon. 

“For people if you have dreams, you kind of have to help make those dreams come true, and this was. This was one of my dreams. I took a chance, and hey, it worked out for me, maybe it will work out for someone else, too.”

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