Heidi Kurtz, a Yup'ik woman from Alaska, won $240,000 on the hit NBC game show "Deal or No Deal."
Kurtz, a dental assistant and single mother of three, won the money in a episode that was taped in February. But she had to keep her winnings a secret until the show aired last night.
"I feel really, really relieved, like this huge pressure is off, and it's done," Kurtz told The Anchorage Daily News as she watched the episode with 50 friends and family members.
Kurtz proudly displayed her Yup'ik heritage during her appearance on the show, which was split into two episodes. She wore a kuspuk, spoke a bit of Yu'pik and showed off some Yup'ik dancing.
"It made me feel really proud that I could be on there and be myself and be proud of my culture," Kurtz said.
Get the Story:Alaskan wins big money (The Anchorage Daily News 4/3)
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TV's 'Deal' ratchets up tension by delaying episode (The Anchorage Daily News 4/2) $rl Deal or No Deal - http://www.nbc.com/Deal_or_No_Deal/
