Last weekend, Amelia Gray— daughter of Days of our Lives and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Rinna— took to Instagram to open up about her battle with anorexia. The 16-year-old model and advocate posted a lengthy message in response to fans commenting that her body had changed, revealing that she’d spent the last year overcoming the eating disorder after realizing she was “not ok.”
Gray posted two pictures along with her message: A current bikini photograph and one from about a year ago. The difference is stark. She writes how she still suffers from health complications resulting from her disorder and how she was also recently diagnosed with thyroid condition Hashimoto’s, a thyroid condition that sometimes develops as a result of starvation.
The model concludes her caption by sharing her earnest reason for posting: She wants to help young girls struggling with anorexia, to advocate and raise awareness around eating disorders and their devastating impact. “The first photo, taken today is not a photo of the perfect girl,” she writes. “That is a photo of me, trying to figure out my body, and owing my curves that I naturally have, and not forcing myself to starve them away.”
“I want to help.”
Her caption reads, in full:
“I feel comfort with finally posting something that I wish I was confident enough to post long ago. I’m getting many comments comparing my body today vs. my body last year. I think that the support from my followers has really pushed me into writing this. Anyways, last year at this time there was no doubt that I was not okay. Not only physically but also mentally. I feel like sometimes people forget that just because your job involves being in front of the camera, doesn’t mean you can’t have bad days. We’re human. All of us.
Instead of people ever commenting on my mental stability, people commented on my weight. Usually, when people are struggling with an eating disorder it stems from your mind, and your body is a reflection of it. I could go on and on about that time of my life, but the most important part about it was waking up one morning and deciding to stop sabotaging myself. My health, my physical health, my mental health and everything about myself.
Once I got the help that I needed, shortly after the second photo was taken, I began to try to love myself for me. I am SO beyond humbled and grateful to have the platform that I do at such a young age, and to wake up every morning with a little girl reaching out to me and telling me I am her inspiration, really makes me feel like I have a purpose. I went through this journey not for attention, not for people to pity me, but to help. I am on this earth to help people, and I know that. One in 200 women in the US suffer from anorexia. And I want to help.
The first photo, taken today is not a photo of the perfect girl. That is a photo of me, trying to figure out my body, and owing my curves that I naturally have, and not forcing myself to starve them away. I have a lot of health complications after starving myself for so long so it’s going to be a journey that I go through for a large part of my life. I still have an extremely healthy life style and I workout so hard all week to maintain my Body. Not to say that recently being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s has also been an extreme challenge for me to balance when still getting over this part of my life, but I am getting there. One day at a time. I want to help.”
Gray’s words had a big effect, eliciting messages of support and praise from young women who related to her situation.
Mom Lisa Rinna responded by tweeting how proud she is of her daughter for being brave enough to share her struggle so publicly.
I am a very proud momma. @AmeliaGHamlin you are brave, courageous, and so very strong for 16 years of age. For any age!You have touched so many! ??❤ We all love you so much. You my love, are fearless!!! ?
— lisa rinna (@lisarinna) April 3, 2018