A Northern Ireland teenager has become the first model with Down syndrome to win an international beauty pageant.
Kate, 19, was picked from 40 models to be crowned Teen Ultimate Beauty of the World at a ceremony over the weekend, reports The Mirror.
The pageant celebrates diversity and people who are "beautiful inside and out".
Kate told The Mirror winning the competition was a complete surprise.
"I was in shock. My family were all in the audience, crying and cheering.
"My dream has come true. And that dream is to get a chance to inspire young people who have Down syndrome and other special needs to believe in themselves."
Kate has wanted to model since she was 13, but had struggled to get gigs because she has Down syndrome.
She's now in for a year of photo shoots and interviews, and will be a judge and mentor and next year's final.
"Most importantly I'll be involved in an appeal where we'll deliver hundreds of toys to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. I want to give poorly children a moment of sunshine," she told The Mirror.
She says she wants the next generation who have special needs to know the true meaning of beauty is kindness, compassion, and inner sparkle.
Newshub.
