The Barometer Online

Issue date: 1/15/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Jeff Wick Oregon State student Matt Zedwick, a business management major in the ROTC program, appeared on the Christmas day episode of "Deal or no Deal?" The U.S. Army created an action figure in Zedwick's likeness.

There is one age-old question most grooms think about on their wedding day, usually answered with an "I do," but only four days after his wedding, Staff Sergeant and OSU student Matt Zedwick had another question on his mind:

"Deal or no Deal?"

A member of Oregon Army National Guard and a business management major with OSU's ROTC program, Zedwick played for a million dollars on a two-hour Christmas special of Deal or no Deal.

"I'm very thankful, and very lucky," Zedwick said.

Endorsed as a military hero on the show, Zedwick was awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star when he pulled two soldiers from a burning Humvee after the vehicle was hit by a bomb in Iraq.

The Silver Star is the third highest medal a soldier can receive, and Zedwick is the first soldier in Oregon to be awarded the Silver Star since World War II.

After applying almost two years ago, Zedwick and his new wife, Kristin, found out that they had the opportunity to be on the show, but the filming would take place a week and a half before their wedding. They were married on Sept. 6, but had to postpone their honeymoon to Cabo San Lucas.

"We knew Cabo would always be there, and this was an unbelievable experience," said Kristin, a senior in veterinary medicine at OSU.

The couple plans to reschedule their honeymoon for spring break, or use some of their winnings to travel Europe.

After their wedding, Zedwick and his wife packed up more than half of their closet so producers could find the right outfit. In the spirit of Christmas, producers picked a green shirt for Zedwick to wear.

"'You know I'm from Oregon State' I said, but I was just glad that my green shirt had a white stripe on it, not yellow," Zedwick said.

Zedwick taped the show in September and had to wait until the show aired in December before discussing it with anyone.

Continued...

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