Kim Zolciak on Her Mini Stroke and 'DWTS' Elimination: 'It Was a Blessing in Disguise'
Kim Zolciak opens up in an exclusive interview with "Good Morning America."
— -- Just two weeks after experiencing a mini-stroke, reality TV star Kim Zolciak-Biermann is opening about the frightening ordeal that forced her to withdraw from the competition on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars."
“I'm feeling great," Zolciak-Biermann said today on “Good Morning America." "On the whole flight I was nervous, but I feel great.”
Zolciak-Biermann, 37, was officially out of the competition September 29 when her exit was announced by show co-host Tom Bergeron during the program.
The former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star sustained the mini-stroke September 24 and spent two days in the hospital.
"It was a blessing in disguise," Zolciak-Biermann said. "The minor TIA revealed that I have a PFO, which is like a hole in your heart. I was born with it and it never closed. That's what caused it basically."
In her exclusive interview with GMA, Zolciak-Biermann addressed accusations of her fabricating the stroke entirely.
"I think it's sick that somebody would ever think that and some of the people that have said that, it just shows me their mentality," she said. "I don't think that many people would really fake a stroke. Especially since I love "Dancing With the Stars. It's been one of the best experiences of my life. It's been very difficult for me to not be on the show."
Zolciak-Biermann said she felt it was unfair that she never got a second change to compete, even after her fans rallied and petitioned more than 200,000 signatures to bring her and her partner back on the show to compete.
"I was able to dance, I just couldn't fly," she said. "I feel like they could've done something via satellite. They've made exceptions in the past.
"I tried to kind of get an answer because I really do love the show," Zolciak-Biermann added. "I love everybody--the producers, the casting directors, all kind of fought for me, but in the end it was the lawyers that made the decision."
As for what's next for Zolciak-Biermann, she said she's looking forward to performing on the finale of DWTS.
"I'm not sure what they're going to have me doing," she said. "I don't care. I'm just so excited to be there."
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