Demi-Leigh Tebow Says She Had to ‘Untangle the Roots of Her Identity’ After Ending Miss Universe Reign

Not everything in life is all diamonds and pearls! In her debut memoir, A Crown That Lasts: You Are Not Your Label , which hits shelves on August 13, Demi-Leigh Tebow opens up about life after winning the 2017 Miss Universe crown.

No longer donning the title that bestowed grace, glitz, and glam upon her life, she embarked on a journey of self-reflection to reclaim her identity.

“The moment that the title went away, it left me feeling like an absolute failure,” she confesses. “I had to go and really untangle the roots of my identity and plant new seeds of truth in my life.”

Although she’s “grateful” for the experience, the road to finding her purpose “took a lot of trial and error” to get to where she is today. Now, she talks to Life & Style about being happier than ever, her marriage to NFL star Tim Tebow , and her philanthropy work.

LS: How would you define your identity today?

DLT : My identity is rooted in my faith. When we root our identity in things that are always moving, it leaves us on a rollercoaster of constantly having "why" questions, moments of insecurity, and feeling like we're not worthy of people's time or praise. For me, the one thing I've been able to find that is fixed, that is never changing, that is bigger than myself and is always trustworthy, is my faith.

IT: What message do you hope to spread to readers?

DLT : I broke up [the book] and organized it in four sections: to dig, to plant, to grow, and to flourish. I made this very intentional decision because I want the readers to go and apply this book to their own lives. My hope is that each reader will be able to walk away feeling like they can take claim of their true identity and discover their purpose.

LS: How did Tim support you during the writing process?

DLT : In so many ways! Everything from making coffee at 10:00 at night, to bringing me snacks and making sure I'm comfortable, or running me a hot bath. I never knew sitting still for that many hours just writing and typing up a storm could make your body feel that sore. Ultimately, Tim is just my partner. I love the friendship that we have and I love that he is one of the greatest sounding boards I have in my life.

LS: How did you two initially meet?

DLT : One of the initiatives of the Tim Tebow Foundation is called “Night to Shine” and it's a worldwide celebration for people with special needs and disabilities. I had a little sister that was born with severe special needs and disabilities – she ended up passing away shortly after Tim and I met in 2019 – but she and the “Night to Shine” celebration is the reason why Tim and I ultimately met. Between those two, it's fair to say that was our matchmaker.

LS: What makes you guys the perfect match?

DLT: From afar, you might actually look at us and think we don't have a lot in common , which I think can very much be true. I grew up in South Africa and my first language is Afrikaans. I knew nothing about American sports when I first moved here and Tim certainly didn't know a lot about pageants. But those are things you can learn and the one thing I feel like has really centered our marriage is not what we have in common but what we have in purpose.

LS: What's been your secret to a happy marriage?

DLT : To never stop dating each other. I think that's one of the great things we constantly try to do. I'll wake up some mornings and there will just be a sweet note on the kitchen counter with a cup of coffee. You don't necessarily need all the big extravagant moments. It's all the small little moments that end up making the big moments truly count.

LS: Are you guys thinking about having kids anytime soon?

DLT : God willing, we would both love to have children. At the moment, we're both so thankful for everything we get to be a part of, the work that we get to do, and the people that we get to serve alongside the Tim Tebow Foundation. That’s our focus at the moment, but we would love to have children at some point in the future.

LS : Your philanthropy work is so important to you. After surviving a horrific attempted carjacking in South Africa, you started the "Unbreakable" Campaign, which aims to educate and uplift women. Tell us more about that.

DLT : That incident was very traumatic. The worst part was finally getting away and nobody would stop to help me. It wasn't until later that a young woman stopped in her old little car and led me to safety. She encouraged me not to be one of the cars that turned a blind eye and pretended not to hear and not to see when somebody was in need, but she encouraged me to always be willing to be interrupted for somebody in need. That's where "Unbreakable" was born. [We] host workshops for women to equip them and empower them with practical tools and skills on how to handle unwanted situations.