How did you become Millionaires?
We're the founders of Curves, the fastest growing franchise in history, with nearly 8,000 clubs worldwide, yet we remember a time when Curves was still just a dream.

Is there anything that would surprise viewers to learn about you?
We remember what it was like to be unsure about our next paycheck and to know that if we took a day off, there was no one to do the work. We remember personally delivering fitness equipment in the back of our old pick-up truck, and starting our products line out of our garage. We did it all and there were times when we were exhausted and worried about money. During those times, we volunteered at a local food bank and always came away grateful for the opportunities that our hard work could create.

Why did you want to be a part of the show?
Over the years, as our business grew, we've continued to be "hands on" in our giving. We've flown our own plane full of supplies and doctors to Haiti several times, raised funds for breast cancer research, participated in Habitat for Humanity home builds, and worked actively with domestic abuse victims and the homeless in our community, just to name a few.

So when ABC offered us the opportunity to participate in Secret Millionaire, we felt it would be another adventure we could share together, hands on.


Check back after the episode for more thoughts that Gary and Diane had on their particular episode.

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We also talked to Gary & Diane about their experience after filming the show:

What surprised you most about your experience as a "Secret Millionaire"?
We realize that what we experienced for a week was just a very small sample of the difficult life so many people live day after day, with no end in sight. We didn't think that living one week in rough conditions on a miniscule budget would transform us or even give us a better understanding of this life, however, it WAS a life changing experience and one that we feel blessed to have been a part of.

Has your life changed since this experience? In what ways?
We were so moved by the people we met and the courage they show, every day, that after the lights and cameras were gone, we slipped back into Houston over the holidays, with our daughter, to deliver Christmas presents and spend time celebrating the holidays with our new friends.

We saw firsthand, community in action. It takes everyone, using each of their gifts-resources, talent, time, support, love and good old fashioned kindness--to build a strong, healthy community. Everyone has something they can give, and the neat thing is, when you use your gift, giving is easy.