Ann and Alice

Ann and Alice
After Alice (left) revealed she was a compulsive shoplifter on The Oprah Winfrey Show , a viewer named Ann (right) felt compelled to confront her own shoplifting addiction.

"I've been shoplifting for the last 44 years," she says. "I probably stole once or twice a week: clothing, toys, knickknacks for the house, cosmetics. …I would tell myself, 'I don't drink, I don't do drugs, I don't rob banks.' I was trying to give myself every excuse that this wasn't so bad. But it was bad. The shoplifting started for me when I was 17 in my first relationship. It was a very abusive situation. Stealing made me feel like I was getting some sort of reward for having such a crummy life."

Ann says that seeing Alice step forward to speak of her addiction made her want to share her own story. "Alice's story was so compelling to me because of her bravery," Ann says. "I thought, 'If this woman can come out and tell her story to thousands of people, then I have to find the courage to do the same thing. I can't do it by myself.'"

Alice says that Ann's reaction is exactly why she wanted to tell the world of her difficulties. "When I was living in the shameful cycle of shoplifting and no one but my husband knew," Alice says, "I craved seeing someone get up on a talk show such as Oprah …and a woman…who looks normal, who is educated, who is articulate, who is married, who has kids, who leads a very normal life, get up and say that they had this problem. If I saw that, I might never have gotten arrested. My son might never have been exposed to that trauma. …When this opportunity came to me, I thought, 'Well then I'm going be that girl. I'm going give what I needed to have and that wasn't available then.'"
Pete

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."
Stacy and Pete

Stacy Struggles With Her Guilt
Two years ago, Stacy and her mother-in-law were traveling home after seeing a taping of The Oprah Show, when they were caught in bad weather. Stacy lost control of her car on a patch of ice and went into oncoming traffic. The accident broke her mother-in-law's neck which killed her instantly. "To this day," Stacy says, "I blame myself."

Stacy suffered the next two years, wracked with unspeakable guilt over this devastating loss. But she found comfort in Pete's own struggles with an accidental death. "How strong you were made me realize that I can be strong," Stacy tells Pete. "I can move on and I can let it go. Just hearing you say that it does happen in a split second. I want people to realize that it can happen to anybody."

Pete had more advice for Stacy's emotional recovery from the guilt she feels. "You said [you've tried] not showing emotions in front of people, trying to put on a happy face," Pete says. "Well, I'll tell you right now that tears are healing and if you don't cry, you're never going to heal. I cry in front of a few hundred people; I cried in front of the whole country; I'll cry again.…I say I've cried a thousand rivers and I'll cry a thousand more. But if you don't, you're never going to get better."
Amy, Pam and Kathy Hendrix

Pastor's daughters testify against him
Amy, Pam and Kathy are three sisters who shared the horror stories of their childhood on The Oprah Winfrey Show in October 2004. The sisters say they were molested by the pastor of their church—their own father—and until they were adults, each had thought they were the only ones being abused. The sisters decided to tell the head of the church in their father's district about the abuse. The next day, their father was asked to resign his post as minister and faced criminal charges. Ted Hendrix was originally charged with second-degree rape, incest, second-degree sexual offense, and other crimes against nature. Amy, Pam and Kathy all testified against their father. Ted agreed to plead guilty to six counts of indecent liberties with a minor and was sentenced to 36 years in prison. Ted's attorney says they plan to appeal the sentence. If this occurs, Amy, Pam and Kathy said they will file new charges in all of the counties the rape and sexual assaults took place, as an attempt to keep their father in prison.
A couple that went to sex-camp

Sex Camp Helps Couple
On a revealing Oprah Show about sex, Allison boldly confessed that she "fakes it" 98 percent of the time in bed with her husband, Ernie, so she won't hurt his feelings. After that show, Alison and Ernie were game for some professional help, so we sent them to Miraval Spa's two-day sex camp. There, doctors Lina Holstein and David Taylor teach couples how to reconnect in a crash course on sex. So what clicked for the couple?

Allison: I think opening the lines of communication for us [is the key]. Learning that he really is happy seeing me happy. And I don't need to pretend or cover it up. … We spend a lot of time trying to be a lot more emotionally connected. We have a much more soulful relationship [now].

Ernie: Communication during sex seems to be a big key. Letting her know, giving her reassurance that I don't have a problem doing what I'm doing. I'm enjoying it. So once she understands that, she really seems to open up and enjoy a lot more.

Since coming home from sex camp, Allison and Ernie have installed a lock on their bedroom door so their kids can't just walk right in—after all, practice makes perfect!
Alge Crumpler and wife, Jenn

Alge Crumpler and wife, Jenn
Atlanta Falcons tight end Alge Crumpler saw our Oprah's Favorite Things extravaganza for teachers and pulled off a Christmas Day surprise for his wife, Jenn, that she is never going to forget. Jenn, a huge fan of The Oprah Show could never have expected that Alge would surprise her with everything on the list…which is exactly what he did! From the green Movado watch to the purple Dooney & Bourke bag, Jenn was ready to start the new year in style! She was nearly speechless.

"I didn't think I'd get to do favorite things," Jenn says. "I watch it every year, and I want go to the show so bad. If I could make every day as special as this day [for Alge], that would be great. I love you. And we love you, Oprah!"