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Carole Mikita ReportingAmerica's Biggest Loser is a big winner tonight. Erik, a deli owner from New York, weighed 407 pounds. He now tips the scales at 193--he lost 214 pounds -- and he won one quarter million dollars.
If you watched 'The Biggest Loser' on Channel 5 tonight you know Heather from Utah made it to the finals but didn't win. She told Carole Mikita she got an even greater prize as a result, greater than just the weight loss.
Heather Hansen is gaining weight again, but everyone --her family, her personal trainer, NBC-- is smiling about it.
Heather: "So, at that moment I knew, for me being a finalist had changed a little bit."
The sweat and the struggle and those constant weigh-ins, competition was keen and Heather Hansen stepped up, losing 56 pounds.
Heather Hansen, 'The Biggest Loser', Utah: "From day one when I walked on that ranch I always said, 'you know what, my plan is, my plan is to win this thing.'"
It all began with the audition tape. Heather wore her workout suit everywhere, a fast food restaurant, a grocery store, she bonded with the Jazz Dancers and took it to the slopes, determined to play the game because there was another woman waiting to emerge.
But it would mean leaving her Bountiful home, her dear husband Brian and darling daughter Bella.
Heather Hansen: "I'm overwhelmed and I'm really stressed out getting ready to leave..."
Four months later Heather stands among the final four, within reach of her dream come true. But suddenly no more weight loss, Heather had news for Brian.
Heather Hansen: "I said, 'hey, honey, out of curiosity? If someone gave you a check for 250-thousand dollars and someone gave you a baby, what would you take? He said, 'boy, I'd take a baby in a heartbeat'. Then he kind of looked at me and his eyes started getting watery and he goes, 'oh, my gosh, are you pregnant?'. I said, 'yeh, we're having a baby!'(big smile)."
Losing 50 pounds actually helped her conceive.
NBC delivered the first baby gift, turning her old nursery into a stylish room with bling for little Madeline, due in four months.
Heather Hansen: "I just feel really blessed that I was able to be a part of it and that I was picked because it absolutely has changed by life, and it has changed my family's life and it's something that I hold really dear to my heart."
After Heather's ultrasound, her doctor told her he had never seen a fetus with such a huge bicep. She believes even the baby is stronger after all of that training.
