‘Claim to Fame’ Winner Adam Reveals What His Famous Uncle Told Him After Pushing Through Bloody Head Wound to Claim Victory (Exclusive)

Adam Cristoferson is still reeling after being named the winner of Claim to Fame Season 3. Claiming the $100,000 prize after suffering a bloody head wound during Wednesday night’s finale of the ABC show, Adam told PopCulture.com he’s “still pinching [him]self” looking back on his victory.

Adam, who was revealed to be the nephew of Grammy Award-winning singer Michael Bolton after taking home the win, admitted it was “surreal” to look back on how far he came in the show, correctly guessing in the finale that Hud was the son of John Mellencamp and Mackenzie was the daughter of Trace Adkins. 

“I get waves of emotions, but I’m proud of myself,” Adam told PopCulture. “I feel like I overcame a lot of adversity. It feels really great to bring the win home to my family.”

Some of that adversity came in the form of a shocking head injury that occurred during the final challenge and left Adam in the hands of medics. With a target on his back already, Adam said he was “in complete shock” to initially be told he wouldn’t be able to finish the challenge. 

“I honestly thought, ‘I’m going to lose because of a self-inflicted wound.’ It was heartbreaking,” he shared. Luckily for Adam, his wound did stop bleeding, and medics allowed him to continue on with the challenge at his own risk. “By that point, I looked up at the leaderboard and the reality started to sink in that I might be able to win this whole thing,” he said, joking, “Besides the glue on my scalp, I think I lucked out and had some sense knocked into me.”

Taking home the win for his family, Adam revealed his famous uncle told him, “You’re a star. You’ve always been a star.” Bolton influenced the way Adam played the game from the start, advising him throughout life to “do whatever you have to to win, but never at the expense of your reputation.”

“He’s somebody I always looked up to,” Adam said of the “When a Man Loves a Woman” artist. “He kept the horizon bright and showed me that I could do or become anything with no limitations whatsoever.”

As someone who has been underestimated his whole life, Adam continued that he’s always been one to “pave [his] own path,” which helped him win Claim to Fame. “Sometimes I rub people the wrong way, but I’m authentic,” he shared. “I’m enthusiastic, resourceful and I’ve learned to persevere through all types of experiences.”

As for what Adam has done with his winnings, he was “excited” to share with PopCulture that he purchased his father a brand-new hybrid truck. “He’s just a really great father [and] he actively gives his shirt off his back for anybody,” Adam gushed. “He taught me how to be a good person and he deserves to be celebrated. I’m so grateful this show helped me do that.”