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\"She's a freaking trooper,\" the Backstreet Boys singer praised, noting to Banks that all he wanted to do was protect his friend the moment he heard her head hit the floor. \"She's family now. I got to protect her, just like she does for me.\"

The pair placed third Monday night, earning an overall score of 26 out of 30.

Burke took to Instagram prior to the show to gush about having the \"best partner\" that helped pick her up after the accident, which she said happened in a \"split second.\"

\"I’m so happy that I was able to perform tonight,\" she later added. \"It was a tough 24 hours but I’m so grateful to have the support from AJ, the rest of the #DWTS crew, and all of you guys at home.\"

On \"Good Morning America\" Tuesday, McLean said he went into \"straight dad-mode\" wanting to make sure she was able to talk to him coherently and without \"going in and out of consciousness.\"

For her part, Burke told \"GMA\" she got lucky, saying, \"If that was any other floor, like concrete, I would have been out.\"

Though he would have danced with another pro had Burke been deemed not OK to perform, he said he didn't know how he'd feel about that \"because this is a team.\"

\"DWTS\" returns Monday and, with it, a surprise double elimination, 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

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