Danny Gokey

His late wife, Sophia wanted him to try out American Idol before she passed away in July 2008 from complications of congenital heart disease surgery.

The one thing that's been on my heart is that a lot of people are defined by their situations. They are defined by being a crack addict, or they are defined by their parents having abused them. But instead of letting my situation define me, I let it become a defining moment in my life, and something good has come out of it. I hope that people get that side of me that's saying, listen, don't let that tragedy or that failure define you, but let it be a defining moment where you step up and become greater.