A special education teacher from Arizona took home the title of “The Biggest Loser” for season 12 of the show Tuesday night.
John Rhode dropped 220 pounds after starting out at 445 pounds.
advertisement
Before he weighed in he made a heartfelt speech to his wife, who took on the responsibility of a single mother to their two sons, including one who is autistic, while he went on the show.
“The sacrifices I made on the ranch will never parallel what you did for me… I owe you a debt of gratitude forever and I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Rhode said.
The 41-year-old beat out former NFL player Antone Davis, who came in second place and set a new record on the show for low body fat rate when he hit 15 percent. Ramon Merdeiros came in third.
This season was the first in which previously eliminated contestants from Season 12 weighed in prior to the finale and only the top three contestants weighed in during the live broadcast.
It was also the first time that three male contestants ever competed against each other for the grand prize.
The at-home prize-winner was 39-year-old television producer Jennifer Rumple. Rumple won $100,000 for losing 145 pounds and almost 45 percent of her body weight.
Rhode takes home $250,000, and his next challenge is to train for the L.A. Marathon, which takes place on March 18, 2o12.
“I love my new body,” he told Us magazine. “I’ve got a whole new attitude, a whole new optimism. I put myself to the limit and now I know I can do anything.”
He did express some concern about whether or not he would be able to keep the weight off once he went home.
“I’m scared to death that I’m going to put the weight back,” he told Wendy Williams. “It’s a daily struggle. I love carbs, why lie?”
His trainers seem to have faith in him though.
“I knew John was going to win the very first day he came on the ranch,” trainer Bob Harper told People magazine.
Trainer Anna Kournikova added, “John was a very vocal, focused and straight to point.”
