Cycle 8 contestant Jael Strauss unfortunately experienced the ills of post-ANTM life. On the show, Strauss exhibited a ton of personality. You may remember her infamous makeover meltdown after spending 8 hours getting a weave sewn in, but having it removed as Mr. Jay saw it fit. Despite not winning the show, Strauss was signed to Hitch Couture, which she later announced she would be launching her own clothing line with the company, per Fandom. Sadly, the success was short-lived. In 2012, Strauss was reported to be struggling with a meth addiction. She appeared on an episode of Dr. Phil, where she discussed her struggle with addiction. She notably ran off while the show was filming, and expressed her feelings that she was being exploited by the show.
According to English, Tyra Banks did not reach out to help the former contestant. "Tyra won't do anything [for Jael] ... They should have evaluated her a lot more before letting her on the show," English told Gawker at the time. " All they saw was a personality good for television."
In October 2018, Strauss announced on her Facebook that she was diagnosed with incurable stage IV metastatic inflammatory breast cancer, per Deadline. She died on Dec. 4, 2018 at the age of 34.
America's Next Top Model may have seemed like it was fun and games, but the aftermath hasn't been the best for most of the contestants. We send our condolences to these former ANTM stars' families.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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