Carrie Prejean
Carrie Prejean (born May 13, 1987) is an American model, author and former Miss California USA 2009, and Miss USA 2009 first runner-up. She gained nationwide attention over her answer to a question about same-sex marriage. Prejean was dethroned nationally on June 10, 2009, for continued breach of contract. Prejean called those claims false, and filed a libel suit in which she alleged that she had been discriminated against because of her religious views.
Pageant officials countersued and demanded Prejean to repay the money spent for her breast implants. The legal battle between Prejean and the pageant officials was later settled out of court on November 3, 2009 following the revelation of a sex tape involving Prejean.
Prejean has appeared as a model for Target, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, and Nordstrom. She has also appeared in Bliss magazine, as a model for E!: Entertainment Television, at the 81st Academy Awards, and in an interactive model search competition for the NBC game show Deal or No Deal. Prejean also works as an ambassador for the San Diego Padres as a member of the Pad Squad from 2006 to present.
Prejean was born in San Diego, California to Francine Coppola and William Prejean. Her mother is Italian American while her father is of French descent.[citation needed] She was raised in an evangelical Christian household in Vista, California. Prejean’s parents divorced in 1988. A custody battle went on for more than a decade.
Prejean graduated in 2005 from Vista High School. She is currently a senior at San Diego Christian College, an evangelical private school located in El Cajon, California, and attends The Rock Church, where she volunteers with their outreach ministries.Prejean also volunteers with Luv-em-Up Ministries in El Cajon, where she works with children with developmental disabilities.Prejean is studying to become a special education teacher.
