Pregnant former Marine fighter is beauty pageant finalist
While a current or former member of the US Armed Services fighting in the cage is not unusual, only one can say they took Justin Timberlake to the Marine Corps ball.
Former Marine Kelsey DeSantis stands 5′ 10 and fights at 145. While a current or former member of the US Armed Services fighting in the cage is not unusual, only one can say they took Justin Timberlake to the Marine Corps ball in 2011. And only one can say they are finalist in the Ms. Veteran America competition, a pageant-style event that aims to highlight the woman behind the uniform while raising funds for homeless women veterans.
Hope Hodge Seck has the story for the Marine Corps Times.
A veterans advocate who started her own organization, the H.E.L.O. Foundation, to help troops transition into civilian life, DeSantis said she was drawn to the competition by its mission and its commitment to highlighting strong women who served. She signed up to compete earlier this year—and then life threw her a curveball.
When I committed to Ms. Veteran America, everything was good in my career [as a fighter], DeSantis said. Then I found out I’m pregnant.
DeSantis and her boyfriend Jake are expecting a baby girl in November. Doing the math, DeSantis realized that she’d be almost full-term by the Ms Veteran America final competition. She emailed the organizers explaining her situation and offering to drop out if necessary.
They wrote me back and said, ‘are you kidding me? this is what we’re all about!’ DeSantis laughed.
For the competition’s regionals near Washington, D.C., DeSantis had to demonstrate a talent; she chose to highlight her fighting skills with a boxing demonstration, showcased in a humorous skit with some assists from a friend and fellow Marine vet.
At the finals in Leesburg, Va., DeSantis said she’d do another boxing demonstration as well as a panel interview, for which she’d be judged for the content and delivery of her responses.
Following the competition, DeSantis said she’s looking forward to entering her life’s next adventure: motherhood.
My boyfriend Jake really wanted a boy, she said, of first finding out they were expecting. I told him, ‘either way, she’s going to be a fighter.’
Images courtesy of tomhillphotos.com
