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Yonkers Woman Achieves Dream, Wins Big On 'Jeopardy!'

YONKERS, N.Y. – A Yonkers woman cashed in on a life-long dream last week when she appeared on the hit-game show "Jeopardy!."

Yonkers Barbara Sheridan was a one-day champion on Jeopardy!, taking home nearly $18,000.

Yonkers Barbara Sheridan was a one-day champion on Jeopardy!, taking home nearly $18,000.

Photo Credit: Screenshot/Jeopardy.com

Barbara Sheridan was a one-day champion, taking home almost $18,000 in prizes. 

Sheridan, who works as an attorney, said it has been her dream to be quizzed by Alex Trebek while taking aim at Daily Doubles. Growing up, she said her father was a loyal fan and the family watched the show together every day.

Even after he passed away a few years ago, Sheridan said her father’s love for "Jeopardy!" has stuck with her and her siblings.

“He was a die-hard fan of the show and he certainly infected the rest of us,” she said.

Nearly a year go Sheridan began applying for the show  and after passing various tests she was selected. In October, she and her family flew down to Culver City, Calif. for the taping.

When she took the big stage, Sheridan said she didn’t set her goals too lofty. 

“My personal goal was just not to humiliate myself on national television,” she said.

As it turns out, she didn’t have much to worry about. Trailing the leader by $7,400, Sheridan was in third place heading into the Final Jeopardy question.

"Opened in 2012, the Belfast museum seen here commemorates this, also constructed there," the video question read as it showed a picture of an Ireland museum.

The answer: the Titanic Belfast Museum, built on the same site where the infamous ship it is named after was built more than a century ago.

Sheridan, who was the only of the three contestants to get the question right, said she knew the answer thanks to age-old stories from her dad.

“My father was from Northern Ireland and he would always point out that the Titanic was built there,” she said.

“That was an assist from dad,” she added.

While the episode was taped in October, it didn’t air until last week, meaning Sheridan had to keep her winnings under wraps for the past few months.  When the episode was finally televised, Sheridan and roughly 50 friends and family watched during a viewing party.

She said keeping the big secret wasn't too hard.

“It made for better theater,” she said. “It was more fun to watch with everyone not knowing I had won.”

Now, Sheridan is waiting on the $17,999 check from "Jeopardy!" to arrive. In the meantime, the family has already booked a skiing trip to the Canadian Rockies that will be paid for with her winnings.

While Sheridan said taking home the money is certainly nice, just appearing on the show was an opportunity of a lifetime.

“It’s a bucket list thing that I guess I can cross off now,” she said.

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