Valley native grabs national attention on 'Dancing With The Stars'

HILMAR, Calif. (KFSN) -- A teenager who is taking center stage on "Dancing With The Stars" has her biggest fans right here in the Central Valley.

Bethany Mota took home the top score on Monday's show. Her family packed a small living room in the North Valley to watch her show off her dance moves.

The 18 year-old grew up in Los Banos. She rose to YouTube fame by sharing her tough experiences dealing with bullying and sharing tips on fashion and excelling at school.

Mota now has more than 7.5 million subscribers online, but her family says they're surprised the once-shy girl is now on TVs across America.

"If you knew her when she was young she was very, very quiet. She would talk only to her mom and only into her ear. She would only whisper. When I first saw the videos I couldn't believe that was her, said John Mota, Bethany's uncle.

The Valley native lives in Los Angeles and travels worldwide to promote a clothing line, but her family says she always tries to make time to visit them back home.