Miss Universe’s world up in flames as home burns in Los Angeles
Heartbreak has struck former Miss Universe Porntip Nakhirunkanok as her cherished Malibu home, where she raised her family, was completely destroyed in the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. For more than 25 years, this house was more than just bricks and mortar, it was a treasure trove of memories.
In a poignant Instagram post under her handle @bui.simon, the 56 year old former beauty queen shared her grief.
“We lost our beloved home in Malibu yesterday.”
The caption mourned the loss of “so many precious memories in that special house… where my babies were born and raised. My first home and sacred nest for 25 years has now been reduced to ashes… erasing all the belongings, photos and mementos of the last few decades.”
Known affectionately as Bui, Porntip adopted the surname Simon after marriage. Her illustrious ascent to fame began when she snagged the Miss Universe crown in 1988, proudly becoming the second Thai beauty to shine on the global stage after Apasra “Pook” Hongsakula in 1964.
Porntip is not alone in her devastation. A string of US celebrities, including the likes of Billy Crystal, Paris Hilton, Anthony Hopkins, and Mandy Moore, have found themselves in the same fiery nightmare, as the relentless flames continue to ravage Los Angeles, California.
As the blaze wreaks havoc across the city, the grim death toll has climbed to 10, up from seven, according to the latest update from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, reported by Reuters.
The Malibu fires have turned the opulent lives of the stars into an inferno-ridden tragedy, leaving many like Porntip to sift through the ashes of what was once a lifetime of dreams and memories.
Porntip, affectionately nicknamed “Bui,” was born in Bangkok. Her nickname translates to “to sleep like a baby” in Thai.
In the early 1970s, her family relocated to the United States, where she attended Washington Irving Middle School and Franklin High School in Los Angeles.
In August 1988, Porntip was awarded the Thai Royal Medal of Honour, the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant, by King Bhumibol Adulyadej for her dedicated service to children in need. She received a second Royal Decoration in 2001: the Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand.
In 1989, Porntip was appointed the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for Thailand by Air Chief Marshal Siddhi Savetsila, then Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. In this role, she addressed the UN General Assembly on the Convention on the Rights of the Child. She later earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pepperdine University.
In 2002, Porntip married Herbert Simon, an American businessman who owns the Indiana Pacers basketball team and Simon Property Group.
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