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Friday, March 29, 2024

UF students react to Tim Tebow’s marriage to Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters

Former UF quarterback Tim Tebow may have led the Gators to a championship in 2008, but he earned a different kind of ring.

Tebow and Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters are now married, and the wedding showcased a mixture of American and South African traditions.

The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner married the model in her home city of Cape Town, South Africa. Nel-Peters and Tebow walked down the aisle together in their venue La Paris Estate while white petals were thrown onto them in celebration, as shown in Nel-Peters’ Instagram post. She wore a wedding dress from David’s Bridal while Tebow wore a suit tailored by South African fashion designer Gert-Johan Coetzee.

Dara Durosomo, a 21-year-old UF public health and international studies senior and president of UF’s African Student Union, said it was great to see the couple married. In line with her organization’s mission to celebrate African culture and discuss Africa’s pressing issues, Durosomo hopes Nel-Peters will utilize connections created through she and her husband’s bond to help the continent.

According to People magazine, the wedding included traditions from both South Africa and the U.S., mixing different cultures through both customs and cuisine.

Tebow posted a video of the couple celebrating the union, captioned “Blending Cultures + Traditions,” on his Instagram account. It showed the newlyweds dancing to American jazz music and being adorned with traditional African face paint. 

Daniel Perez, a 21-year-old UF dietetics junior, said  he grew up a Florida fan when Tebow played around 2008. Perez said he has had the opportunity to see Tebow at events including Gator Growl and College GameDay and is happy he is finally married.

Perez said he appreciates that Tebow is still active as a sports announcer and within the Gainesville community. He said he hopes to go into the realm of sports nutrition and that as an athlete and sports lover, watching Tebow also played a role in choosing this path.

“He did a lot for UF,” Perez said. “I’m glad to be a part of a community that he helped foster and grow.”

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