Spoiler Alert: Did Bret Michaels Win Celebrity Apprentice?

Monday May 24, 2010 12:00 AM EDT

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Rocker Bret Michaels faced off against actress Holly Robinson Peete on Sunday's Celebrity Apprentice season finale. Who was fired -- and who was hired? Against all odds, it was Bret Michaels' sheer determination that allowed him to make it to Sunday's live finale of The Celebrity Apprentice. The rocker's amazing return proved that he's as "RockSolid" as the Apprentice team he competed on.

Turns out the trip -- which included a quick detour in Nashville -- proved to be well worth it after Donald Trump declared Michaels, 47, the third season winner.

Prior to the live show, Holly Robinson Peete -- who cried when she saw Michaels -- showed support for him on her Twitter page. "I know the whole country is pulling for Bret," she Tweeted. "In many ways I am too!"

Just days after he was named a finalist on the show, the musician -- who was still recovering from an emergency appendectomy and life-threatening brain hemorrhage -- was readmitted to the hospital after suffering a warning stroke.

Although Michaels -- who is undergoing twice-daily rehabilitation treatments -- walked with a slight limp at the finale, he appeared otherwise healthy and ready to take on Robinson Peete.

For their final task, Michaels and Robinson Peete were assigned to create a new Snapple tea flavor along with an ad campaign to promote it. In the end, the musician's diet Trop-A-Rocka Blend triumphed over the actress' Compassionberry Tea, winning the support of Trump and the Snapple corporate executives.

Michaels worked tirelessly during the entire competition -- often with little to no sleep -- to raise funds and awareness for the American Diabetes Association.

Diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic at age six, the pain of his lifelong battle hit home during the show's taping, when his 10-year-old daughter was diagnosed as borderline diabetic herself. Reduced to tears after learning of Raine's condition, the rocker found himself even more driven to succeed.

While Michaels took the title, Robinson Peete received a prize of her own as well -- Trump awarded the actress $250,000 for her HollyRod Foundation.

-- Samantha McIntyre

Hugh North/Retna