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If a screenwriter pitched Jessica Sanchez<\/a>\u2018s story to a studio, an executive might respond by saying, \u201cNah! It\u2019s too good to be true.\u201d But the singer, who just won Season 20 of America\u2019s Got Talen<\/em>t, has a success tale that Hollywood dreams are made of.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s so overwhelming,\u201d Sanchez, 30, told TV Insider on the post-show press line. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t seem real right now, but I\u2019m so grateful. I was 10 years old when I tried out for the show the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis seems like a movie,\u201d judge Howie Mandel<\/a> says. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t seem like a TV show. It\u2019s like a movie with the best happy ending you could expect. This is a story for everyone. You don\u2019t have to be in show business or be a singer to do what Jessica did.\u201d<\/p>\n Sanchez, who competed in AGT<\/em>\u2018s inaugural season 20 years ago, continued to chip away at her singing career over the decades. She was the runner-up in Season 11 of American Idol<\/a><\/em>, and she returned to AGT<\/em> earlier this year, and she has emerged as America\u2019s choice.<\/p>\n \u201cEver since I was a little girl, I had that fire in me,\u201d Sanchez shares. \u201cI had that seed of faith. Even though I was devastated when I didn\u2019t make it in Season 1, I was determined to show people that I deserved to be in the limelight.\u201d<\/p>\n Mandel applauds Sanchez for her persistence. \u201cIt\u2019s so easy to just stop,\u201d he says. \u201cMost of us talk about \u2018hump day,\u2019 which is Wednesday. We\u2019ve gotten halfway through the week, doing things we don\u2019t want to do because we don\u2019t give ourselves the opportunity to do the things we do<\/em> want to do. Jessica knew what she wanted to do when she was 10 years old.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t tell you how many times I [still] hear no,\u201d Mandel, a seasoned show business veteran, says, \u201cbut to see a kid get hit with \u2018no\u2019 for 20 years? Jessica has shown that hard work, perseverance, tenacity, and talent do pay off.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPeople need good stories,\u201d maintains Simon Cowell<\/a>, judge and executive producer of AGT<\/em>. \u201cNobody can be unhappy with a story like this \u2014 somebody who just hasn\u2019t given up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, she\u2019s an amazing talent,\u201d Cowell observes. \u201cShe\u2019s a really good example of people moving forward. Timing is everything. You have to just keep going. I\u2019ve experienced it in my own career. Then, something like [Jessica winning] happens, and you just feel good.\u201d<\/p>\n Has Cowell, who was known for his blunt and spot-on comments early on in his career, mellowed over the years? \u201cOf course! I\u2019m a dad now,\u201d he responds, hastening to add, \u201cBy the way, the contestants are better now!\u201d<\/p>\n Over the decades, Sanchez has taken a hiatus here and there to grab her breath. \u201cI took a break from music for a while,\u201d she shares, noting she could not have done all this alone. \u201cMy husband [Rickie Gallardo] is my greatest foundation. My faith, too. I believe that God has something bigger for me than I could ever imagine.\u201d<\/p>\n Shortly after deciding to try out for this season, Sanchez discovered that she was pregnant. \u201cI thought, \u2018Let\u2019s see what happens,\u2019\u201d she recalls. \u201cThen, Sofia [Vergara]<\/a> gave me the Golden Buzzer. I can\u2019t thank her enough. I\u2019m so grateful to her.\u201d<\/p>\n With a baby on the way and opportunities coming as the AGT<\/em>\u00a0Season 20 winner, Sanchez is going to take things one step at a time.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel that this has been one of the hardest seasons of my life because of the physical challenges and the vocal challenges,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd I feel that God allowed me to go through this. He showed me that I have the strength to continue [to pursue my career] even though I\u2019m a new mom. I\u2019m believing in myself. I\u2019m going to continue to fight for my dreams and hopefully, share more music with the world.\u201d<\/p>\n