He and former Miss Universe Demi Leigh Nel-Peters have been dating since July.One of sports’ most charitable bachelors is officially in a relationship. Former NFL quarterback (and current minor league baseball player) Tim Tebow has revealed how he met his girlfriend, former Miss Universe Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters.
He said recently in an interview with Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford on the Today show that meeting her was a product of “seizing the moment.” Tebow, who is currently on a book tour promoting his new book, This Is the Day: Reclaim Your Dream. Ignite Your Passion. Live Your Purpose, said that “seizing the moment” is exactly what he did when he met Nel-Peters through his non-profit organization, Night to Shine.
Night to Shine is a worldwide event that puts on an “unforgettable prom night experience” for people with special needs who are 14 and older. The evening focuses on God’s love and honoring teenagers who have special needs with a fabulous evening. Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, who won the Miss Universe crown in November 2017, attended the event in South Africa (her home country) with her sister. “Her sister has special needs, so we invited them to Night to Shine in South Africa,” Tebow told Kathie Lee and Hoda. “We kind of met and started talking through that and haven’t stopped.”
Tebow opened up about his relationship to ESPN in July, saying that he’s “usually very private with these things but I am very thankful. She is a really special girl and I am very lucky and blessed for her coming into my life.”
The former Miss Universe is no stranger to non-profits herself. She developed a campaign to empower women with self-defense training called Unbreakable. She herself was a victim of a carjacking and was able to escape unharmed, thanks to her own self-defense training. Like Tebow, Nel-Peters is inspired by someone who has a disability: “My half-sister was born without a cerebellum and is completely disabled. 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,” Nel-Peters said, according to the Miss Universe page.
When talking about his life’s purpose, Tebow is always exceedingly clear. “It’s not sports,” he told People at his 2018 Celebrity Golf tournament. “My main purpose is not about football or baseball, or anything like that. It’s about helping others. It’s about finding the people who need hope. That’s my calling,” he says. “I believe I’m doing what God wants me to do — to serve those who may not have a lot of people who are serving them.”
“Of course I want to succeed in baseball,” Tebow told People about his latest athletic endeavor, “but it doesn’t mean anything if I’m not ultimately doing something greater than myself. Our lives should be about bringing faith, hope and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need.”
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