Pat Sajak has an educated wife who didn't think it was too much to step back from her law career to raise their kids — here are some details about the star's family.
Pat Sajak's wife, Lesly Brown, left her job as a model and future ambition as a lawyer to cater to their kids after their marriage.
Brown raised the kids, and she didn't relent in pursuing her ambitions. She eventually worked towards getting a bachelor's degree. Find out more.
[Left]Pat Sajak at an event; [Right] Pat Sajak and his wife, Lesly Brown with his family| Source: Getty Images
HOW SAJAK AND BROWN MET
Lesly Brown is a graduate of the University of Maryland and is the former Miss Georgetown who appeared in the 1988 edition of the Playboy magazine's feature.
On the other hand, Pat Sajak was born in Chicago to a Polish-American father, and his interest in showbiz started as a disc jockey who took jobs at different stations.
He later got a job serving in the US Army, not as a fighter but as a DJ, entertaining, for the American Forces Vietnam Network while the war raged on.
Lesly Brown and Pat Sajak at the premiere of "Mr. Saturday Night" on September 22, 1992. | Source: Getty Images
The talented DJ later picked up a job as a weatherman at KNBC Los Angeles, and he did it so well he was scouted as the "Wheel Of Fortune's" host.
Sajak and his wife met at a celebrity opening of a restaurant in Irvine, California, in 1988, but there was nothing that showed they were meant for each other. "There was no electricity in the air," Sajak said, recalling the meeting.
Despite that, the pair scheduled some dates over the following months, and they also kept communicating regularly when she returned home to Maryland.
Lesly Brown and Pat Sajak in the United States. | Source: The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
She thought he was easy to talk to, but nothing romantic came out of it, and they would even tell each other about the dates they were going on.
That all changed by the spring of 1989, but neither of them was ready to make the first move. Things might have remained like that if a game show had not pushed Sajak to take action.
Before meeting him, Brown had reportedly appeared on "The Dating Game." When it was time to collect her winnings, she had to travel to Mexico — under supervision — with the handsome bachelor who had chosen her on the show. "Frankly, I was a little annoyed at that," Sajak once revealed.
Lesly Brown and Pat Sajak at the "Toys for Tots Benefit" on December 12, 1990. | Source: Getty Images
However, the game proved useful because it showed him exactly how much he liked Brown. Indeed, the actor admitted to feeling borderline jealousy, so the showman quickly flew east to see her when she returned.
In LA, he had revealed his desire for marriage to his longtime pal and talk show sidekick, Dan Miller, who asked Sajak, "Are you Pat's evil twin?"
Later on, Sajak slipped a three-carat-plus marquise-shaped diamond on his lover's finger, and a couple of months later, with Miller as his best man, he made his match official in a 19th-century Catholic church.
The ceremony, which was held in 1988, was an old-fashioned one and the priest that oversaw the affair extolled the blessings of a wife who was smart enough to be silent while keeping a clean home. After the wedding, Sajak said:
"Lesly swore to keep quiet and clean the toilet every day. I thought he should say a word about Mop & Glo."
Nineteen years separate the pair, but Brown's family revealed how pleased they were with their son-in-law. Brown's father, Michael, a dentist, joked, "I gave him a little car for Christmas, and next year I am going to give him an electric train. He has gorgeous teeth."
Pat Sajak and Lesly Brown at the 9th annual Fire and Ice Ball Benefit on December 9, 1998, in Universal City, California. | Source: Getty Images
After their marriage in 1989, Brown took a break from her modeling job so she could focus on becoming a family woman.
Maggie grew up to earn the title of guest host on "Wheel of Fortune," but that was a temporary gig.
The proud mother would later pick raising their kids over furthering her dream as a lawyer, and financing the home wasn't a problem – Sajak makes about $15 million per year.
Lesly and Pat Sajak at the world premiere of "XXX" in Los Angeles on August 5, 2002. | Source: Shutterstock
A HAPPY MARRIED LIFE
After their wedding, Sajak and Brown went off on a brief honeymoon. Then, the talented model, who won many competitions, retired to pursue a bachelor's degree. She would later on become a famous photographer, and reportedly, it is what she focuses on today.
THEIR FIRST KID CHOSE TO LIVE OUTSIDE THE SPOTLIGHT
Brown, a former model, now has two kids, Maggie, the youngest, and Michael, with her hubby, and they are all grown up. Their daughter Maggie chose to follow her father's footsteps into showbiz but as a country music singer.
Over the years, fans of his shows have gotten familiar with Sajak's kids as they sometimes visited him on the set of his hit game show "Wheel Of Fortune."
Michael, the first child who shares a striking resemblance with his dad, made only a few rare appearances on his father's show before going on to become a doctor.
Sajak even praised him on "Wheel Of Fortune" for graduating from medical school. "So you know my son, Patrick, you've known him all his life. Well he's made it through medical school, and he is now officially Dr. Sajak, and we're all thrilled," the proud father had mentioned.
His mother, Brown, also praised him on social media by posting a picture of her and Patrick celebrating his medical school graduation.
Maggie loved her time as guest host, and she even gushed about it on Instagram while praising her family for their unwavering support through it all.
THE SECOND CHILD WHO CHOSE TO WALK IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS
Sajak and Mary's second child chose not just her father's profession; she also dabbled in her mother's. Maggie grew up to earn the title of the guest host on "Wheel of Fortune," but that was a temporary gig that happened because her father took time off.
Brown, her mother, was once a model, and Maggie did not let the looks she inherited from the woman go to waste. In 2013, she was involved in a Teen Vogue shoot that showcased how much talent she inherited from her mom.
In 2021, Maggie officially became a "Wheel Of Fortune" member, not just as a temporary replacement but as an online correspondent.
It was a milestone celebrated by the entire family, and fans can't wait to see what else Maggie and her brother go on to do.
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