America’s Got Talent Winner Mat Franco: I’m No Longer Embarrassed to Say I’m a Magician
By Jeff Nelson for PEOPLE
Just call it magic.
Mat Franco made America’s Got Talent history Wednesday night as the first magician to win the NBC variety competition.
“I couldn’t help but just be shocked and honored,” the Johnston, Rhode Island, native tells PEOPLE. “It’s great to be an inspiration to people. … The underlying message is following your passion. Whatever it is you like to do, do it: Dreams can come true."
Making it big in the biz has been a dream of Franco’s since he was 4, when he started to teach himself card tricks. The season 9 winner used to record the pros on TV and watch them back in slow-motion, often with his grandma, Eleanor, who was one of his biggest cheerleaders during his AGT journey.