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A Prince William County father and son won over $1.6 million on NBC’s “The Wall,” a game show that premiered its sixth season Monday.
Steven Hardeman, 56, and his son Seth, 20, both of Triangle, taped the episode in June 2024.
In a Monday night text message exchange with InsideNoVa, the Hardemans shared their delight.
“I was ecstatic,” Steven Hardeman said. “I think if I could have jumped 1,000 feet in the air, I would’ve jumped 1,000 feet in the air. When they talk about being on cloud nine, I’m still on cloud nine. To me it is still unbelievable. It seems surreal.”
“Absolute shock,” Seth Hardeman said of his initial reaction. “Being in isolation, you have no idea what is going on in front of the wall, and hearing my dad follow up such a powerful message to me with news of such an amazing win caught me off guard. I had always kept a positive mindset going into the show, and I think my reaction captures that.”
In 2002, Steven Hardeman was one of 13 recipients of the Declaration of Valor Award from then-Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore, recognizing Hardeman’s efforts as an off-duty police officer who helped evacuate people from the Pentagon on 9/11.
Seth Hardeman is a senior majoring in history at George Mason University.
Currently a school security officer at Triangle Elementary, Steven Hardeman previously held the same position at Swans Creek Elementary in Dumfries.
Seth Hardeman was 18 during the episode’s taping. He now works as a substitute teacher three days a week at Triangle Elementary alongside his father and in tandem with his studies at George Mason.
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Steven Hardeman said he is “savoring the moment and the chance for financial freedom” stemming from the winnings. Seth Hardeman added he relishes “the security it offers.”
“To bring $1.6 million back to Prince William County feels like I can come and make an impactful impression for good in this county and those around me,” the elder Hardeman added.
Seth Hardeman echoed that sentiment.
“I’m honored to show that good things happen in this world, and to showcase that to my hometown and all the people rooting for me is humbling,” he said.
Asked to describe their experience on “The Wall” in one word, Steven Hardeman called it a “blessing” that will help him “live a more purpose-driven life” — with Seth opting for the term “grateful.”
“Being the youngest game show contestant to win something of this magnitude brings a lot of opportunity,” Seth Hardeman said, “and I’m excited to see where this journey takes me.”
“The Wall” is “an action-packed game with more than $12 million on the line each night and up to $3 million on a single drop, as teammates work together to answer questions to build a huge cash prize,” according to NBCUniversal. “The rules are simple: Get a question correct and a green ball will fall down the four-story wall and add the value of the slot to the players’ winning total. Miss a question and an ominous red ball will fall and deduct the value from the team’s total. Contestants compete in pairs and must blindly trust their loved ones to make the right decisions during the game to accumulate their earnings.”
