The Follow-Up

Pete's Tragic Story

In November 2004, Pete told Oprah his horrible story . Just months earlier, he had used jumper cables to start his stalled car, getting a boost from the car belonging to his wife, Jennifer. As Pete left for work, he forgot to turn off Jennifer's car. While Jennifer was sleeping, carbon monoxide fumes filled the house, eventually killing her and their pets.

"This show aired and I was at my house and I didn't know what the response would [be]," Pete says. "I saw myself, and I stepped out of the room for a moment because it was more powerful than me going through it."

But Pete says the response to his appearance has been incredibly positive. "A lot of people have commented in my community. A lot of people have come and called. I've gotten e-mails from your show's message boards. I didn't realize that my story would really affect anybody, but I think it has. That's something that, I guess, to pay it forward for all the help that I've gotten from everybody that have helped me stand tall. I wouldn't be here today or even to tape the last show if I didn't have a network of people that were there to pick me up where I didn't think I could ever be picked up."