Butterfly has turned me onto watching The Biggest Loser with her on Tuesday nights; the season finalé of which was on last Tuesday.

For this season, what made the show for me was Abby.

If you follow The Biggest Loser, then you already know the heartbreaking story of Abby Rike. For those who don’t, Abby’s husband, young daughter, and infant son–her entire family–were killed in car crash. Worse, Abby was supposed to be in the van with them.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who has thought what I’m about to write; but every time I see Abby, my heart breaks for her. America, collectively, has asked the same question of Abby: How do you recover from a personal tragedy of such staggering proportion?

For Abby, the answer now is simple: “You choose to.”

Abby uttered the most beautiful, inspirational words in an interview, granted during early filming of The Biggest Loser:

“[Throughout my grieving process,] there are times–where I felt I was walking in molasses.

I took 26,000 steps yesterday. Every one of them was a choice.”

I’m reading back the words I just wrote and they look ridiculous. I wish that I had the eloquence to truly relate how powerful those words are, how foundation-shaking. Abby Rike has endured a tragedy so horrifying and heartbreaking that it completely defies my meager ability to articulate the profound sadness I feel when I hear her talk about it.

Yet Abby Rike chooses to get up, every morning, and face another day without the beautiful family she loved. How on God’s earth she finds the strength every day to choose to do so is a complete mystery to me.

Abby Rike is an inspiration.