Demi-Leigh Tebow, the wife of former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Tim Tebow, recently opened up about a terrifying experience she endured in 2017 when she was the victim of an armed carjacking.
In a candid interview with Fox News Digital, Demi-Leigh recounted the harrowing moment when she was forced to fight off a male attacker to escape what could have been a life-threatening situation.
The incident occurred just a few months after Demi-Leigh had been crowned Miss South Africa on March 26, 2017. She was on her way to an event, fulfilling her duties as the newly crowned Miss South Africa, when her car was stopped at a red traffic light. It was then that she was suddenly surrounded by a group of men, some of whom were armed.
“Before I could even blink, I was surrounded by five men, by multiple men, and some of them were armed,” Demi-Leigh recalled, reflecting on the intense fear she felt at that moment. Despite the panic that set in, she credited her quick thinking and the self-defense training her father had insisted she undergo for helping her navigate the situation.
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“In that traumatic situation, I knew not to go to the second destination, because whatever is about to happen somewhere downtown, in some dark alley with [maybe more people present] is not going to be better than right here: broad daylight, peak-hour traffic with hundreds of people around me,” she said.
Determined to escape, Demi-Leigh attempted to flee her vehicle, but one of the assailants grabbed her and pushed her back into the car, telling her, “Get in, you’re going with us.” In that moment, she remembered another crucial lesson from her self-defense courses—how to target an assailant’s throat, a potentially lethal move that should only be used in life-threatening situations.
“I punched him as hard as I could in his throat,” she said. “That bought me a split-second window of opportunity to run away.”
Although she managed to break free, the ordeal was far from over. Demi-Leigh described the terror of running down the street in broad daylight, desperately seeking help but finding that no one would stop to assist her. “I remember looking over my shoulder, not knowing if I’m being chased and [about to be] shot in the back, not knowing what their intent was. I just knew that it was not good,” she said.
This traumatic experience had a profound impact on Demi-Leigh, shaping her commitment to helping others. “That moment really broke my heart and made me never want to be one of the [people behind] the many car windows that I knocked on, begging, asking, yelling for help. I want to be the one girl that eventually stopped for me … to help somebody in need,” she explained.
Since that incident, Demi-Leigh has dedicated herself to empowering women through her #Unbreakable Campaign, an initiative aimed at educating college students on how to protect themselves and be proactive in dangerous situations. Her passion for helping others is something she shares with her husband, Tim Tebow. The couple bonded over their shared commitment to philanthropy and their work in supporting victims and survivors of human trafficking.
Demi-Leigh and Tebow met in early 2018 through Night to Shine, an event organized by the Tim Tebow Foundation, which supports people with special needs. Their relationship blossomed quickly, and Tebow confirmed they were dating in July of that year. The couple got engaged on January 20, 2019, and a year later, they tied the knot at the La Paris Estate in Cape Town, South Africa.
Reflecting on her journey, Demi-Leigh emphasizes the importance of resilience and the ability to overcome fear in the face of danger. Her story serves as a powerful reminder of the strength that lies within and the importance of being prepared for whatever challenges life may throw your way.
