| 
| 
| |
05/05/2018
2136 | 
0
Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters was held up at gunpoint last June
The beauty queen, 22, survived a carjacking attack and was nearly kidnapped
The model punched a man in his throat and ran away during the July 2017 attack
The life-threatening incident happened one month after she was crowned Miss South Africa 2017
Months later, in November, Nel-Peters had been crowned Miss Universe 2017
The bombshell said the attack inspired her to start teaching self-defense classes
By Jessa Schroeder For Dailymail.com
PUBLISHED: 05:16 BST, 4 May 2018 | UPDATED: 11:54 BST, 4 May 2018
Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters is not just full of beauty and brains - but also incredible strength and bravery.
The pageant queen, who was held up at gunpoint and nearly kidnapped by a gang of guys last June in Johannesburg one month after she was crowned Miss South Africa 2017, opened up about how she defended herself in the life-threatening incident.
The 22-year-old model and self-defense teacher said she luckily took a female empowerment course just three months before the attack, while speaking to Page Six.
'It was scary,' Nel-Peters said. '(But) they taught me what to do if you go through a situation like that.'
The bombshell had been driving during the daytime when five armed men carjacked her then attempted to kidnap her.
This picture taken on March 9, 2018 shows South Africa's Miss Universe Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters during the finals of the 2018 Miss Indonesia beauty pageant in Jakarta
Nel-Peters attends Beautycon Festival NYC 2018 - Day 1 at Jacob Javits Center on April 21, 2018 in New York City
Nel-Peters said: 'I was driving and I stopped at a red traffic light in broad daylight... When I saw the weapons, I immediately surrendered and gave up the car.
'When I got out of the car, the guy actually tried to push me back in. I said to myself, I'd rather be shot here than kidnapped and never be seen again,' the beauty queen told Page Six.
'The second destination will never be better than the first. So I punched him in his throat and ran away.'
She managed to exit the vehicle and flee - when a Good Samaritan spotted her and drove her to safety. She was left unharmed.
The model is seen at Buca di Beppo in Times Square February 22, 2018 +6
Miss South Africa 2017 Nel-Peters competes in the swimsuit competition during the 2017 Miss Universe Pageant on November 26, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The model is seen right at Buca di Beppo in Times Square February 22, 2018
Nel-Peters reacts as she is crowned 2017 Miss Universe by Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere during the 2017 Miss Universe Pageant in Vegas
Nel-Peters also told the gossip site she is thriving living in New York City.
'Living in New York, no big deal. I am loving New York - there is something about the energy.'
Nel-Peters, who holds a business management degree, became inspired to teach her own self defense classes last year after the terrifying attack.
The South African-born beauty had an eventful year of highs and lows.
Nel-Peters is named a top 3 finalist during the 2017 Miss Universe Pageant at The Axis at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on November 26, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada
Steve Harvey crowned her Miss America 2017 in November. Nel-Peters competed against women from 92 countries - the largest pageant of its kind to date.
Harvey asked Nel-Peters what she believed was the biggest issue women face in the workplace during the pageant.
The titleholder responded: 'In some places, women get paid 75% of what men earn for doing the same job, working the same hours - and I do not believe that this is right.
'I think we should have equal work for equal pay for women all over the world.'
The Miss Universe runner-up was Miss Colombia Laura Gonzalez. The second runner-up was Miss Jamaica Davina Bennett.
COMENTÁRIOS - Clique aqui para fazer o seu
