Ben Hartranft with The Price is Right host Drew Carey.
Lansdale resident and Philadelphia Eagles Autism Foundation ambassador Ben Hartranft came on down as a contestant on “The Price Is Right” this week and went home $16,000 richer.
The public motivator and autism awareness advocate taped the show back in October and had to keep quiet about his winnings until this week.
“When George called my name, I got so excited. I literally jumped out of my chair. It felt like Christmas morning,” Hartranft told CBS News.
When he won the initial bidding round by besting three other contestants, Hartranft apologized to host Drew Carey for his excitement.
“I have autism, I get excited,” he said. “I can’t wait to call my dad! He’s going to be so excited!”
Hartranft, 24, played the game “It’s in the Bag.” The premise: There are five grocery bags with a price printed on them and six grocery items on a nearby table. Hartranft’s task was to place the right product in the bag with the matching price, leaving one.
If he matched them all correctly, he would win $16,000, Carey said, with $1,000 as the prize as the first correct guess and doubling it every time. One wrong, and Hartranft loses it all.
“This is going to be the biggest win of my career,” Hartranft told Carey.
He was confident he would win it, due to his former grocery store clerk experience – and he did. Carey even let him hit the final button.
“You shouldn’t have said (you work at a grocery store) because everyone’s going to think you’re going to win this game,” joked Carey during the game.
In case you were wondering, coffee’s actual retail price is $12.99, lemon juice is 99 cents, hot sauce is $2.29, a package of string cheese is $6.99 and ice cream was $5.99.
“Coffee’s expensive today in California,” Hartranft said. “String cheese is $6.99, I promise.”
Hartranft ended up buying a new car with his prize money to replace one that he wrecked in an accident.
Hartranft need not go on a TV game show for a success story – he is living one. Hartranft, the youngest of three sons, went from saying 20 words as a toddler – about 10% of the norm for a 2-year-old – to a professional public motivator. Through his own business, Benergy1, Hartranft speaks to schools and companies about autism awareness and how inclusion can shape the lives of those with autism for the better.
“Having autism is not a bad thing,” he told KYW Newsradio last April. “It doesn’t characterize who we are. Everybody’s unique and special, just like a rainbow.”
During his time with the Eagles organization, Hartranft, who got to hold the Lombardi Trophy at the Super Bowl ring ceremony, has raised more than $80,000 for the team’s autism foundation, including $10,00 from “The Ellen Show” in 2018, per KYW.
Watch Ben Hartranft on The Price is Right below.
See also:
Local Mother Releases Book About Finding the Joy in Autism Journey
Local Man With Autism Wins Pennbrook Award
Bring the 'Ben'ergy to Crawford Stadium at Homecoming Friday Night
