Why Shawn Johnson and Andrew East Talked to a Child Psychiatrist Before Filming Special Forces

“They had a blast,” Shawn continued. “They were ready for us to come home, but they truly had good memories from us being gone instead of bad.”

And while Drew, Jett and Barrett had plenty of fun during those 10 days, it was slightly less fun-filled for their parents, as Shawn and Andrew were put through the ringer on the reality show.

“You just go completely mentally numb,” Shawn confessed of her time on the series, “to where you're just like a human shell.”

Andrew added, “Honestly, I would recommend the whole show until the last day. Honestly, it ruined everything. It was so brutal.”

And while Shawn didn’t agree that the end ruined it all, she was on the same page that the finale completely shifted the game, saying, “It went from something we are very used to, which is the physical pain, to, ‘Whoa, what is this?’”

The gold medalist did feel “lucky” she made it to the finale, adding, “Crossing that finish line took all of those bad memories of everything you just went through, and made it have a purpose to it.”

And although Andrew had a slightly different experience, the former Washington Commanders long snapper was grateful to have had the time with his other half.

“I am so incredibly proud of and impressed by Shawn,” he gushed. “It was so amazing to watch her do her thing, and the fact that we're able to experience all of that together.”

Shawn was equally in awe of her husband, saying she “won the jackpot for a human being” since Andrew was “the rock for everyone.”

“You're literally the people's golden retriever,” she continued. “Every single person who was feeling vulnerable or scared or nervous leaned on him. Kody [Brown] would get vulnerable and be like, ‘Where's Andrew? I need Andrew.’”

Shawn and Andrew weren’t the only ones trying to make it through the toughest of tests. Keep reading for a look at the rest of the stars who gave it their all on this season of Special Forces.