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Miss Universe 2017, Demi Leigh Nelson Peters at a press conference in India. (2018). Photo by Bollywood Vintage. .

Top 10 Outstanding Facts about Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters

Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters is a South African model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss Universe 2017. Nel-Peters was born on 28 June 1995 in , to Bennie Peters and Anne-Marie Steenkamp. Nel-Peters graduated from university in March 2017, a few days before winning the  competition. She is fluent in both  and .  

Nel-Peters began her pageantry career representing  in the  competition on March 26, 2017, which she won.  As Miss South Africa, she had the right to represent South Africa in both  and , but since the dates of the two pageants coincided, she was sent only to Miss Universe, held in .

Nel-Peters believes in having confidence. She said, ‘As a Miss Universe, you have to be confident in who you are as an individual. And Miss Universe is a woman that has overcome many fears, and by that she is able to help other women to overcome their fears. She is a woman that nothing is ever too much to ask for and I think that is exactly who I am.’ Let us now look at the top 10 outstanding facts about Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters.

1. She was almost kidnapped in 2017

Months before winning the Miss Universe title, Nel-Peters was carjacked by armed men while driving in her native country. Although she lost most of her belongings in the attack, she not only managed to escape unharmed but fought back by using self-defense movements. Nel-Peters punched an assailant in the throat and fled a carjacking in South Africa.

2. She is a self-defense trainer

Nel-Peters’ encounter with hijackers inspired her to help more women learn how to protect themselves. In 2017 she launched Unbreakable—a global initiative aimed at empowering women with the mental and physical training they need to fight off potential attackers through a series of workshops.

3. She is married to Tebow

Tim Tebow, a player on the Denver Broncos American football team. Photo by Jeffrey Beall. .

Nel-Peters began dating Tim Tebow, a former professional American football quarterback and current professional baseball outfielder for the New York Mets minor league clubs, during her reign as Miss Universe 2017. She spent her first Thanksgiving in the United States with his family at their house.

Nel-Peters praised Tebow for his support during her goodbye speech at Miss Universe 2018. On January 9, 2019, Nel-Peters and Tebow got engaged at Tebow’s family property in Jacksonville, Florida. They married  in Franschhoek, South Africa, about an hour outside of Cape Town, on January 20, 2020.

4. Her sister is her inspiration

“My half-sister was born without a cerebellum and is completely disabled,” she said, per the Miss Universe website. “She is my biggest motivator and inspiration, because her situation makes me realize how special life is, and I always want to work twice as hard, enjoy life twice as much so that I can enjoy it for her as well. Therefore each experience I encounter is that much more special.”

5. Nel-Peters met Tebow at a charity event

Tim Tebow. Photo by Craig ONeal.

Nel-Peters attended the annual Night to Shine event, in which churches and charities from around the globe host prom nights for individuals with special needs. Tebow’s non-profit organization, the Tim Tebow Foundation, works with Night to Shine.

In an appearance on Today in 2018, Tebow said his charity invited Nel-Peters and her family to the event, which led to their romance. “Her sister has special needs, so we invited them to Night to Shine in South Africa. We kind of met and started talking through that and haven’t stopped,” he said.

6. She is an advocate for equal pay

Nel-Peters’ statements about the importance of equal pay won the Miss Universe judges over during the Q&A portion of the competition. “In some places, women get paid 57 percent of what men earn for doing the same job, working the same hours—and I do not believe that this is right,” she said. “I think we should have equal work for equal pay for women all over the world.”

7. Her sister is her inspiration

Nel-Peters half-sister was born without a cerebellum and is completely disabled. Through the Miss Universe website, Nel-Peters said “She is my biggest motivator and inspiration, because her situation makes me realize how special life is, and I always want to work twice as hard, enjoy life twice as much so that I can enjoy it for her as well. Therefore each experience I encounter is that much more special.”

8. She works out regularly

Photo by Bollywood Vintage.

Demi-Leigh’s figure is undeniably striking. She has toned abs and legs that she has previously showcased at the pageants. The girl works out hard. It has been her routine to hit the gym and do various workouts to maintain her physique. She also take care of her health, since she still has some women to train.

9. She gives back to the society generously

Demi not only helps train women in self-defense, she also helps young children and participates in programs that send aid to those in need. She has worked with organizations that gather people to pack meals and fight hunger, including Stop Hunger Now in South Africa and Rise Against Hunger.

10. Demi is a self-confessed bookworm.

Puteri Indonesia 2018 Queens. Photo by Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs. .

Who would not love a good book, silence and a blanket thrown over with a cup of coffee. Nel-Peters reads fictional books to escape reality sometimes. When she needs inspirations, then she turns to autobiographies.