‘Wheel of Fortune’ Fans Console Pat Sajak After His Heartbreaking Update

Wheel of Fortune fans are sending their support to longtime host Pat Sajak after he shared tragic news with viewers on Monday’s episode of the show. As the game show came to an end Monday night, Sajak, 74, announced that his dog Stella, whom he had for 12 years, had recently passed, admitting that her loss “was a very sad time” for him and his family.

Sajak shared the news during the after-show banter with Vanna White as they began to discuss their pets. The host noted that he and White “have a lot of things in common,” including both having two children, “the same unusual blood type,” and “weirdest of all, we independently, without anyone knowing it, we both named our pets the same name.” Sajak pointed out that while White has a cat named Stella, he “had” a dog with that name as well, going on to reveal, “I use the past tense because we recently had to say goodbye to Stella. It was a very sad time for the Sajak family.”

The episode concluded with Sajak giving a “salute Stella by showing you happier days,” the host sharing several photos of his family with Stella. By the time he ended by stating, “we’re going to miss her, she was a good friend,” many viewers were already in tears, and they didn’t hesitate to flock to social media to send messages of condolences and support to Sajak and his family. Keep scrolling to see the kind words Wheel of Fortune fans have been sending Sajak’s way.

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Condolences were also shared on PopCulture’s Facebook page, where one Wheel of Fortune fan wrote, “Sorry for your loss, pets are like our children!” Another person commented, “So sorry to hear this. It’s always tough losing a pet, or any loved one,” with a third fan writing, “It’s always sad to lose a family member. That’s what they become.”

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“So sorry to hear of Stella’s passing,” one viewer tweeted after hearing news of Stella’s passing. “It’s a shame that we can’t buy a heart instead of a vowel. We feel your pain.”

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“Sorry to hear about the loss of Pat Sajack’s (sic) dog named Stella,” another person tweeted. “My condolences go out to Pat Sajack and his family, and the Wheel crew.”

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“So sorry to hear of Stella’s passing, Mr Sayjack (sic),” shared another. “My heart goes out to you, having been through that several times in my life. Our dogs are family.”

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“So Sorry to Hear About The Passing of Pat Sajak’s Dog Stella,” one person tweeted in response to Sajak’s announcement. “Our Thoughts & Prayers Are With You & Your Family.”

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After tuning into the episode and hearing the sad news, one fan took Twitter, where they wrote that it was “so sad to hear about the passing of Pat’s dog Stella.” That fan went on to share, “my condolences are with you, Pat!”

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Another fan reacted to the news by sharing a message to both the Wheel of Fortune host and his late pet, writing, “we know how you feel. It’s hard to say goodbye.” Responding to that message, another fan shared the widely shared The Rainbow Bridge poem, which they said “can be comforting to read,” as it “indicates a happy reunion with our pets as well as our human loved ones when our turn comes to make that journey.”