"Dancing With the Stars" has had a lovely season with some truly kind souls – and one of the sweetest of them all, Bindi Irwin, took the mirror-ball trophy home.
She technically isn't a celebrity but is the daughter of the late Steve Irwin, the Australian animal wildlife expert who was known as the “Crocodile Hunter” and died in a tragic accident in 2006 after being pierced by a stingray.
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“Thank you for changing my life,” Irwin said as she was lifted in the air with the mirror-ball trophy in hand.
Irwin got a boost being paired with Derek Hough, who has now won "Dancing With the Stars" an incredible six times. He always guarantees extra votes for whatever celebrity he’s paired with, and he knows how to choreograph to boot.
Irwin could dance but also possessed that inner spirit and drive that made her a joy to watch.
She just edged out Backstreet Boys dancer Nick Carter. This was the best finish for his dance partner Sharna Burgess in her sixth season with the show.
“Bindi deserved it,” Carter said. He outperformed his brother, Aaron Carter, who finished fifth place in season 9.
Carter already had dance experience from his boy band days but wasn’t always consistent. He had to break through some mental hurdles to make it to the finals.
Not surprisingly, Alek Skarlatos came in third, but the fact he was there at all was a miracle. “This has been the craziest ride of my life,” he said.
Skarlatos and two friends joined a British passenger to stop a terrorist on a train bound for Paris in August. He is not a celebrity at all but showed dignity and dancing skills to make it to the finals.
Atlanta’s Kim Zolciak came back to do the dance she was meant to do for TV theme week but was disqualified when she wasn’t allowed to fly after a minor heart attack. It was brief, but she did a good job.
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