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DERRICK SMITH: A BETTER, YOU!
Former OBVIOUS cover model, Derrick Smith, talks how life-changing events altered his mindset, weight gain and weight lost; his personal journey.
I’m a model and looking at me you may not see flaws or think I had to endure tough things, but my life hasn’t always been so easy. I’ve struggled with things in my life that some people deal with everyday. As a kid I was in special education (only due to my behavior and way of thinking at the time) from second grade all the way until I entered high school. But during that time I went to a mental hospital on two separate occasions and I struggled with my emotions from my dad being out of my life. I threatened to commit suicide. So I was placed there and it was very hard being away from home as a child. The staff would hit me. I even have a scar on my left eyebrow to this day from being restrained and slammed face first onto the ground.
Aisha Nailah
January 2013 at 5:24 AM
This story really inspires me. To read what Derrick has gone through and endured and to see where he is now makes me truly ponder on the fact that there is no mountain we cannot get over as long as we have the will and the want to do so. This is the perfect article to start the year off with. What motivation! Thank you for this article and Derrick thank you for being so transparent and allowing us to know your truth. You are amazing! If more people in your position came forward and were as open and honest about their past there wouldn’t be so many of our young people going to extremes for perfection in order to compare to Hollywood’s “flawless” standards. Kudos to you!!!