{"id":1971135,"date":"2025-08-20T21:19:04","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T21:19:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=1971135"},"modified":"2025-08-20T21:19:04","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T21:19:04","slug":"who-is-tracey-yukich-from-the-biggest-loser-meet-season-8-contestant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/who-is-tracey-yukich-from-the-biggest-loser-meet-season-8-contestant\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Is Tracey Yukich From the Biggest Loser? Meet Season 8 Contestant"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Tracey Yukich<\/strong> went through quite a scare after signing up for season 8 of The Biggest Loser<\/em><\/a> in 2009.<\/p>\n

Yukich, a mom of four, started gaining weight after becoming pregnant and struggling with depression amid her then-husband\u2019s deployment. Ultimately, her weight gain led her to go on The Biggest Loser<\/em>, but things took a turn during the first challenge when she experienced a medical emergency.<\/p>\n

The contestants were driven to a beach where they were told they had to run a mile to decide who would officially be on the show.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my head, I\u2019m like, \u2018I can run, I\u2019ve got four kids, I\u2019m running after them all the time.\u2019 But it was the longest mile, ever,\u201d Yukich recalled on the August 2025 Netflix documentary, Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser<\/em>, noting that she \u201cdidn\u2019t pace anything\u201d and her body started to \u201cshut down\u201d as her legs felt like \u201clead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yukich ended up collapsing on the beach. She completed the race with the other contestants\u2019 help, but as soon as she crossed the finish line she collapsed once again and became unresponsive. She was quickly medevaced via helicopter to a local hospital.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just felt like I was floating. \u2026 And then my grandpa was there and then I saw darkness but then I saw light, so I knew I died that day,\u201d Yukich explained, adding that she later found out that she had rhabdomyolysis, a serious condition where damaged muscle tissue breaks down and releases into the bloodstream.<\/p>\n

Keep scrolling to learn more about Yukich:<\/p>\n

Why Did Tracey Yukich Go On \u2018The Biggest Loser\u2019?<\/h2>\n

After gaining weight from pregnancy, dealing with depression and navigating marital challenges, Yukich said she felt like the weight loss series could \u201cfix\u201d her.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe idea of being on The Biggest Loser<\/em>, I felt like \u2026 maybe it would fix my marriage, maybe it would fix me,\u201d Yukich said in an August 2025 episode of Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser<\/em>. \u201cMaybe it would make me a better mom, a better friend. I felt like my weight and everything about it was something that constantly was bringing me down. I wanted to change my life and I do feel like at that time it was, like, my only hope.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yukich said that facing infidelity in her marriage was \u201cjust a snippet\u201d of some of her and her former husband\u2019s problems, which led her to going on the show.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought it was my fault because I was fat,\u201d she said in the documentary. \u201cI don\u2019t want to be disrespected, I don\u2019t want to be yelled at, I don\u2019t want to be harmed, I don\u2019t want you to tell me what I can do and can\u2019t do.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>The Biggest Loser’s Scandals and Controversies Through the Years<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tThe Biggest Loser became a cultural phenomenon when it premiered in 2004 \u2014 but the show has been plagued with scandals and controversy as well. When NBC introduced the show, it followed a group of people deemed overweight who would compete in a 30-week competition. The goal was to lose as many pounds as possible [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

What Happened to Tracey Yukich On \u2018The Biggest Loser\u2019?<\/h2>\n
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Courtesy of Tracey Yukich\/Facebook<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

During the first challenge on The Biggest Loser<\/em>, Yukich\u2019s body started to \u201cshut down\u201d while running a mile on the beach. She ended up finishing the race with the other contestants\u2019 help, but as soon as she crossed the finish line Yukich collapsed and became unresponsive. The mom was transported via helicopter to a local hospital and believed she \u201cdied that day.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw darkness but then I saw light, so I knew I died that day,\u201d she said in Fit for TV, adding that she found out she had rhabdomyolysis.<\/p>\n

The series\u2019 doctor, Robert Huizenga<\/strong>, later recalled meeting Yukich at the hospital, where Yukich was \u201creally angry\u201d about the suggestion that she go home.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe didn\u2019t want to go home,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n

Yukich went on to explain that she opened up about her marriage issues and depression to Huzienga, who then agreed that the reality TV series was \u201cexactly what [she] need[s].\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018You need to go on the show, Tracey,\u2019\u201d Yukich revealed. \u201cHe\u2019s like, \u2018You don\u2019t need to go back to your life, you need to create a new one and start right here.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

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