Alexia Umansky is grateful for fan support after revealing her past sexual assault on Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test season 5.
“I want to thank each and every one of you who has reached out to me after hearing a part of my story on Special Forces this week,” Umansky, 30, wrote via her Instagram Stories on Friday, October 9. “The love and support have been overwhelming, but in the sweetest way. It means more to me than you know.”
During the Thursday, October 8, episode of Special Forces, Alexia revealed to father Maurico Umansky that she had previously been assaulted by an unidentified friend.
“To anyone who sees a little of their own story in mine, you are not alone,” she wrote on Friday. “Life is beautiful, and there is so much more to our stories than the things that have happened to us.”
The reality TV realtor concluded, “Sending you all so much love.”
Alexia, who completed Special Forces selection alongside her dad, revealed to the Directing Staff (DS) on Thursday’s episode that she joined the show to prove she had courage “after what happened” seven years earlier.
“I was on a trip with some friends, and I was with people I trust. I was put to bed because I had a little too much to drink. And I woke up and I could tell something had happened,” she recalled. “I felt completely objectified. And I had a lot of pain and anger because of that. At the one-year mark, I decided that happiness is a choice and I was gonna choose to put it away, but it still hurts.”
Alexia, who is now married to husband Jake Zingerman, initially opted against telling her parents or her sisters about the alleged attack. (Alexia is the eldest daughter of Mauricio, 56, and estranged wife Kyle Richards, who also share daughters Sophia, 26, and Portia, 18. In addition, Kyle, 57, is the mom of daughter Farrah, 37, from a past relationship.)
“Once you bring it to other people, it’s hard to … it’s not just yours,” she continued on the show. “I feel like it’s not just your own concern, you know? It just becomes everyone else’s concern, but I have definitely healed. I’ve come a long way since then.”
After her DS interrogation, Alexia emotionally told her dad what happened, and he immediately offered his daughter support.
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test airs on Fox Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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