We're days away from the Miss Universe 2013 pageant where 60 contestants from around the world will compete for one crown. The international beauty pageant will take place in Crocus City Hall in Moscow, Russia, on Nov. 9 and be televised on both NBC and Telemundo.
One of the contestants competing for the coveted title is Miss Vietnam Truong Thi May. The 25-year-old model and actress was born in 1988 to Khmer-Vietnamese parents. She was raised in in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, where much of Vietnam's Khmer population lives. Her father died when she was very young, forcing her mother to take care of her and her siblings with little resources and money.
"Since my father died at a young age, my mom had to take care of all the children. She gave up so much for us and I want to be able to give back in any way I can," said Truong, according to the official Miss Universe website.
The struggles she faced have also motivated her to become an ambassador for a heart transplant charity that serves underprivileged children.
In her free time, the Vietnamese beauty enjoys traveling, dancing and boxing. She dreams of becoming an international actress and opening her own business for vegetarians like herself.
Truong has been practicing austere Buddhism since the age of 13 and wakes up every day at 4 a.m. to pray. She saves money in her piggy bank from birthdays and holidays to donate to charities and help those less fortunate. One of her role models is Bill Gates because she admires his philanthropic spirit, according to Vietnam Net.
Before becoming Miss Vietnam, she was the former first runner-up of Miss Vietnam Ethnicity 2007 and the former runner-up in Miss Vietnam Photogenic 2006 pageant.
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