And she still can't believe it.
"I felt as though I was hearing things, to be honest," Amaro told reporters today of when Steve Jones announced her at the winner. "I had to check my ear real quick. It shocked me a lot. It really did."
Melanie Amaro Wins!
Melanie, of course, is now $5 million richer, a wild sum for anyone, let alone a young woman who didn't grow up with much.
"Life will change a lot," she says. "The most I have ever had before was $200, if I was lucky."
A piano teacher from Florida, Amaro says she'll purchase a new home for her mother with the winnings, along with a lifetime supply of chicken for herself. Seriously. ("I can't live without it. It's my favorite food.")
Overall, she just wants to give a shout-out to her fans.
"Thank you to all my supporters who've supported me and have been behind me since day one and believed in me when I didn't even have the heart to believe in myself," she says. "Even when I went home, you guys still pushed and sent all your love my way."
You're welcome, Melanie! Did do you think Amaro deserved to win?