'I was Miss Universe - but swapped catwalk for church after message from God'

Dayana Mendoza found fame after winning the Miss Universe beauty pageant back in 2008. However, she now preaches at churches around the US after deciding to leave the modelling world and 'dedicate herself to serving God'

BySamantha BartlettSenior Lifestyle & Travel Reporter 08:37, 3 FEB 2024

Dayana Mendoza is a former Miss Universe (Image: Jam Press)

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A former beauty queen has revealed how she swapped the catwalk for church after a 'message from God'.

Dayana Mendoza found fame after winning the Miss Universe beauty pageant back in 2008. She became the first winner from Venezuela since Alicia Machado in 12 years.

The blonde beauty cashed in on her fame at the time, as she took part in Celebrity Apprentice alongside Donald Trump in 2012. She was also signed with his Trump Model Management firm.

READ MORE: Stunning beauty queen slammed online for 'dressing as icon representing Jesus'

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However, the 37-year-old now preaches at churches around the US after deciding to leave the modelling world and 'dedicate herself to serving God.'

Dayana was baptised under the evangelical Christian religion three-and-a-half years ago and now shares religious content on Instagram and YouTube, where she has millions of followers.

Talking about why she took up religion, Dayana said her modelling career was waning and her marriage had ended, prompting her to feel that her life had “fallen apart.” She dropped to her knees and asked God to “take control”, claiming she could feel his divine hand leading her towards her true path.

The former beauty queen said: “My marriage failed, my modelling career did not fulfil me and did not identify with me. I was desperate, nothing was going well. That was when I knelt down and surrendered myself. I asked God to take control."

She decided to swap the catwalk for religion (Image: Jam Press)

Dayana now preaches in churches and promotes religion online (Image: Jam Press Vid)

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She added: "I saw his powerful hand guiding me, helping me find the right path. I listened to a pastor and from the first moment he spoke, it was like God saying it to me. Like he was answering all the questions I had at that moment. I began to feel peace, my house had changed.”

Today, Dayana 1.9 million devoted followers on her religious Instagram page and also has 16,000 subscribers on her religious-themed YouTube channel. Many clips show her preaching in Spanish at churches all over the US.

In her most recent video, she said: “God's fidelity is great. His love and mercy, infinite. There is no one like Jehovah.”

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/real-life/i-miss-universe-swapped-catwalk-32037110