Georgia Mother Wins Breakfast by Emeril

At the same time, Wissing was pregnant with her 14th child.

Dee Wissing is this year's winner of Good Morning America's "Breakfast in Bed" contest, in honor of Mothers Day. Behind her, there are photos of some of her 17 children.

(ABC News)
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"Literally, we lost everything," daughter Debra Dahlin said. "We had no clothes; we had the clothes on our backs. She broke her rib that day, trying to get… the fire out and try to get everyone out of the house safely."

As a grandmother -- the Wissings have more than 40 grandchildren and a few great-grandchildren -- Wissing was again the rock for her brood. A couple of years ago, her grandsons Andrew and Jeff lost their mother to cancer. Andrew says that his grandma is a mother again, and that she is his hero.

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"When it was kind of clear that my mom wasn't gonna make it, she and my mom had a private conversation and she always told me she promised my mom that she'd look out for us and she'd watch over us," Andrew said. "She really takes care of us and makes sure that we're OK."

Smith, her neighbor, said, "I'm not that sure she's ever had the pats on the back that she deserves. I don't know I've done it enough and I should have."

In 2004, Dee and Bill Wissing were recognized by Georgia's House of Representatives for celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.

Her children want to salute her this Mother's Day because they say she sacrificed so much of her life for them.

"I just want to thank her for everything that she's ever done … through our whole lives," son James Wissing said.