Naomi Campbell has credited Nelson Mandela with helping turn her life around – insisting the former South African president has always supported her as she battles her demons.
The catwalk beauty turns 40 in May (10), and the Brit admits she’s glad to have reached the milestone age after previously being embroiled in a string of scandals and various legal issues.
And the supermodel has applauded Mandela, who she dubs her “honorary grandfather”, for helping boost her spirits when she’s down.
She says, “I first met him in 1992. I don’t know why he reached out to me or what he sees in me. Every time I’ve made a mistake he’s told me to keep my head up. It seems to always happen that every time I get in trouble I see him right after. He never tells me off. He just tells me to keep going.
“I thought I’d never actually make this birthday. I’ve had times when it was hard work for me to look in the mirror, because I didn’t like who I was. I’m not proud of the things I’ve done. But I did something about it. I’ve worked hard on correcting my previous wrongdoings, and I won’t be held hostage by my past behaviour. I’ve moved on. I want a quieter life today.”
Campbell was recently accused of assaulting her driver, but the chauffeur refused to press charges and the matter was dropped. The 39 year old carried out a 200-hour community service sentence in 2008 as punishment for assaulting two police officers on a British Airways flight at London’s Heathrow Airport. She also underwent anger management classes in relation to a 1998 assault on her then assistant with a telephone.
