Jonesboro, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – A Jonesboro couple faced the massive 40-foot pegboard on NBC’s The Wall Monday night, walking away with a life-changing $185,432.
The journey for Ellie and Nick Smith to the national television stage was rooted in hometown philanthropy.
Ellie previously told JRN said they initially caught the attention of network producers following a massive local fundraising effort.
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Using a recipe passed down from her late grandfather, Ellie baked and sold over 600 homemade strawberry pies with the help of a family assembly line, raising more than $20,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Children’s Miracle Network.
Stepping onto the Los Angeles set brought a different kind of challenge, however.
| READ MORE: Jonesboro Couple to Bring Story of Community and Charity on NBC’s ‘The Wall’
Standing beneath the towering four-story wall was an intimidating experience that Ellie noted made them feel “like a little ant.” While host Chris Hardwick helped calm their nerves and ensure their story remained authentic, the game’s mechanics quickly threw their pre-planned strategies out the window.
Because Nick was isolated behind the wall answering trivia questions while Ellie managed the drops out front, she said neither had any idea how the other was performing or how their bank was fluctuating throughout the game.
Despite the tense nature of the game, the couple’s gamble paid off, turning a legacy of local charity into a massive six-figure win.
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