Petra Nemcova

While it was her graceful beauty and winning smile that catapulted her as one of the world's most admired supermodels, it was Petra Nemcova's fierce determination and inner strength that helped her to overcome a deep personal tragedy and ultimately, defined her as a true survivor. She was born on June 24, 1979 in Karviná in the Czech Republic under Communist rule. Nemcova, who spoke Czech, Slovak, Polish, Italian, English, and some French, began her professional modeling career at 15, after a talent scout discovered her on the streets of her native country and she signed with Next Modeling Agency. Shortly thereafter, Nemcova began landing lucrative contracts with some of the world's most prestigious beauty and luxury brands including Clarins, Max Factor, Bulgari and Cartier, and gracing the covers of magazines like Elle, Harper's Bazaar, and the 2002 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. In addition to her amazing body of print and runway work, Nemcova also had a featured role in the comedy "Absolument fabuleux" (2001), a French adaptation of the British comedy series "Absolutely Fabulous" (BBC, 1992-96; 2001-04). In the midst of all the success she enjoyed as an international supermodel, Nemcova's journey suddenly took an unexpected turn when she was an unfortunate witness to history, resulting in a personal loss so great that it altered her life forever.