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May 24, 2010

After over a month of serious health issues and trips to the hospital, rock star Bret Michaels claimed the top prize on NBC's The Celebrity Apprentice.

Michaels survived a near fatal brain hemorrhage in late April that had him fighting for his life. He suffered a mini-stroke only weeks later and was recently diagnosed with a hole in his heart. Through all of that, Michaels refused to give up and vowed to make it to the finale of The Celebrity Apprentice in New York City.

"Lately, it seems that me just standing up is risking my life... It's been crazy for about a month and a half. I thought I was healthy... It's been a risk, but I wanted to be here tonight," he told the audience at the live taping.

Michaels won $250,000 in the competition that will be donated to the diabetes charity of his choice.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), over 795,000 people experienced a stroke last year. In the U.S., a stroke occurs every 40 seconds.

Warning signs to look out for include a sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body, a severe headache with no known cause, difficulty seeing in one or both eyes, dizziness, slurred speech and trouble walking.

The AHA provides countless resources for patients suffering from heart health problems, and also offers support to victims' family members. The organization provides tips on healthy living as well as information regarding support groups and charities working on behalf of those battling heart conditions.

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