Mekayla Diehl Forgives Man Who Molested Her as Child: 'Forgiveness and Moving On' Important to Miss Indiana's Family
Miss Indiana 2014, Mekayla Diehl, is speaking out about her past, which includes molestation, and her body image, which has been the subject of much discussion since her win on Sunday night. Diehl says that she is proud of her body, which is "normal" and hopes to inspire fellow survivors and young girls.
"I'm 25 and a woman, so I'm glad I look womanly," Diehl told Entertainment Tonight.
According to CBS, Diehl is 25 pounds heavier than the "average" Miss USA contestant, but that doesn't seem to bother the public at all. In fact, she has gained a number of fans for being herself and for being proud of the body she has rather than "go to extremes" to lose weight.
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"I wanted to just continue a healthy lifestyle and inspire others to go after their dreams," Diehl told Fox & Friends. "I never imagined that it would be in a swimsuit. I trained very hard for the body I have, but I didn't go to extremes, and I'm proud of that."
Diehl is also speaking out about the childhood molestation she endured and how she survived.
"I was 8 years old when I was sexually abused," Diehl told local Indiana news outlet, WNDU. "Very quickly after that we moved in with my grandmother and eventually was adopted. At first I was sad, and then I found my outlets. My grandmother was very encouraging. Anything that I wanted to try to do, she tried to find the best way."
"We got through it," her grandmother, Katie Sautter said. "By the grace of God we got through it."
Diehl says she has forgiven her abuser in order to move forward with her own life.
"I don't know where that man is," Diehl said. "I could care less if I ever see him again. However, I have learned to forgive him so that I can move on. Forgiveness and moving on are two things that are a must in our family. I hope [young girls] can look at me and see that yes, I am a pageant girl, but I had a dream and I worked very, very hard for it. And I didn't let my past define me."
