After being stripped of her crown in 2016, Génesis Dávila’s is once again Miss Florida.
Pageant director Todd Chrisley of Chrisley Knows Best weighed in on the win, saying the Puerto Rico native’s crown was “stolen” from her the first time around.
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“I’m proud to live in a country that believes in second chances and that I serve a God that is always uplifting and pushing us forward,” he told Us Weekly. “Génesis won her title fairly and we are blessed to be a part of of her second chance since her first was stolen from her.”
The 25-year-old pageant queen was also thrilled to have her crown back, posting a lengthy message to fans on Instagram Sunday.
“God you have design my journey. What can I say ?? I am blessed. What a rollercoaster! But I always had hope and faith. Thank you for changing my heart and healing it,” she wrote. “A bit over a year ago I had a dream. That dream was interrupted, but today, I can continue it as @missflusa 2018 Thanks to the new Miss Florida USA Organization for allowing me to keep dreaming, and to the panel of judges who gave me their vote of confidence, thank you for granting me with the honor of becoming the ambassador of the dreams and hopes of the Sunshine State.”
The model previously settled a lawsuit against the Miss Florida pageant organization in August 2016 “causing [her] humiliation and embarrassment” after then-director Grant Gravitt claimed she violated the rules by hiring her own hair and makeup artists.
Dávila claimed that Gravitt had cropped a photo of her getting her hair and makeup done for a July 9 photoshoot to allege it was taken the day of the July 16 pageant.
The lawsuit was dismissed in October 2016 and the terms of the settlement were kept confidential.
Photo credit: Instagram / @toddchrisley