Miss Kansas Alexis Smith, domestic abuse survivor, shares story behind viral video

The newly crowned Miss Kansas has gone viral for calling out her abuser on the pageant stage.

Alexis Smith took a moment during the interview portion of the ceremony to discuss her experience as a domestic violence survivor, telling the audience: “My vision as the next Miss Kansas is to eliminate unhealthy and abusive relationships. Matter of fact, some of you out in this audience saw me very emotional because my abuser is here today. But that’s not going to stop me from being on this Miss Kansas stage and from representing as the next Miss Kansas.”

She continued: “I, and my community, deserve healthy relationships, we deserve a domestic (violence) free life.”

Smith was crowned on June 8, according to KWCH in Wichita, Kansas, and The Associated Press. Smith won out over 25 other contestants, the TV station reported.

The video has been viewed over 65,000 times on X alone.

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Now Smith, a cardiothoracic ICU nurse, is sharing her story.

“My family, every single woman in my family, was impacted by domestic violence,” she told local station KSNW, an NBC affiliate in Witchita, Kansas. “At the age of 14, I got in my first relationship, but it was also an abusive relationship that I was in until about 2018, 2019. It’s something that I’m still experiencing and dealing with today.”

Miss Kansas Alexis Smith, domestic abuse survivor, shares story behind viral video[/caption