Bullies call her fat – a few years later, she gets sweet revenge

As kids, we all dream about what we’d like to be when we grow up. In some cases, those dreams come true, and in other cases, we change and our dreams change with us.

But when our dreams are crushed by bullies, it’s a different story—one that should never be written. Because no one should have their dreams stolen from them before they’ve even had a chance to try.

Hunter McGrady is someone who almost had her dream taken away from her. In high school, bullies taunted her and called her fat. But instead of letting all of that negativity crush her, she used it to push herself even harder. And now she’s not only wildly successful, she’s also an inspiration to young people who’ve been told that they’ll never accomplish their dreams.

When Hunter McGrady was little, she knew exactly what she wanted to be when she grew up. Her mother had been a model, and her aunt and grandmother had been models, too. So for as long as she can remember, Hunter also dreamed of becoming a model.

Hunter never let go of her goal—but her conviction was tested while she was in high school. Bullies said she was too fat to be a model and told her that she’d never realize her dream.

 

I’ve died and gone to heaven! @swimsuitsforall #summerofyou

A post shared by Hunter McGrady (@huntermcgrady)

But Hunter refused to give up. She fought hard to lose weight and got a couple of modeling jobs—but she also realized that her body wasn’t made for the mold she was trying to squeeze it into.

“I didn’t work very much as a straight sized model because I am a very hippy person. Although I was 115 pounds and I’m 5’11—I was very very tiny for my height—I could never get rid of my hips,” Hunter McGrady told Sports Illustrated.

Then when Hunter was 19, everything changed.

She heard about “plus size” modeling, and a new door was opened. Hunter could be exactly who she was and still have a chance of realizing her dream!

 

Made it to Anguilla! Home for the next few days shooting with @swimsuitsforall

A post shared by Hunter McGrady (@huntermcgrady)

After being contracted by a model agency, Hunter started getting more jobs.

She worked her way up the industry ladder and recently captured one of modeling’s most coveted jobs:posing for Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue.

Hunter has reached the stars, realized her dream, and showed that you should never give up.

And at the same time, she’s gotten sweet revenge on the bullies who once told her she was too fat to model.

 

This is a surreal moment for me. You guys I have been bursting to tell you all about this! I want to thank @MJ_Day for an opportunity like this to do the SI model search and for being a force in this industry and everyone at @si_swimsuit for promoting that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. Beauty is not a number. It has no limits. I have never felt sexier than I did in this shoot. Thank you to @joannegair and team @therealmarissajade and @trendytribals for working your magic on my body. These women painted this suit for 12 hours and I never wanted to take it off. Women, for anyone who has ever felt uncomfortable or insecure because of rolls, or stretch marks, or cellulite, or acne, or felt like you didn’t measure up because you weren’t represented in the magazines–THIS IS FOR YOU! You are beautiful. You are STRONG. You are powerful and together we need to lift eachother up and inspire one another. There’s too much going on on this world to let eachother fall by the wayside. Shot by another incredible woman- @josie_clough amazing sexy beach hair by @adammaclay thank you to my agents @uralucky1 @marissamuscari @ginabaronedirectorofficial @jaimegoldberg_ @wilhelminamodels for being such hard working and dedicated team! We did it ! #breakingboundaries #siswim

A post shared by Hunter McGrady (@huntermcgrady)

Now, Hunter is using her success as a platform to spread her message: every body is unique and there are no flaws, just more to make you the beautiful person you are.

“My main goal is to get across to women that you are able to love your body at any size and that you’re sexy and beautiful at any size. Beauty is not a size and I’m really happy that the industry is accepting body diversity,” she told Sports Illustrated.

We’re all beautiful just the way we are. Never forget that! And don’t forget to share Hunter’s powerful message to your friends and loved ones!

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