After appearing on a popular reality TV series, many people would think that post-reality TV life would be anything but normal, yet Ebony feels just the opposite. Besides the occasional photo or autograph signing, most aspects of her life are just the same as they were before she appeared on the show.
Growing up, Ebony describes her life again as being normal, with most of her younger years spent living with her grandmother. Eventually, she moved to Chicago to live with her father, where she attended both high school and college.
Although Ebony didn’t see modeling as a lifelong dream, she pursued it anyway following the advice of her father, who encouraged her to audition despite her apprehension. She expected there to be tons of girls auditioning in Chicago, so she didn’t believe she’d make it, she says.
This “on-and-off dream” of becoming a model, quickly became a reality when she became a contestant on the show. Her run on ANTM was short-lived, but unlike very few ANTM contestants, Ebony chose her own fate. She removed herself from the competition.
“At the time of ‘Top Model,’ I was 19. I had a lot of growing up to do,” she says. “I had never been away from home, and it was hard to hear the criticism from Tyra, Mr. Jay and Miss Jay.”
After having some time to watch herself on the show and even now hearing people tell her that she definitely had what it took to win the entire competition, Ebony says she would do things differently if she was given another chance.
“I would’ve stayed, I would’ve stuck it out,” she says. “That’s something I think about a lot.”
She admits she had some maturing to do, but she still had a good shot at winning, she adds. 
In retrospect, leaving the show may have been one of few regrets because overall, it was a great experience, she says. The best parts were living in an expensive mansion in the Hollywood Hills, meeting celebrities and wearing designer clothes.
As an added bonus, she gained some friendships and now has friends from all over the world, she says.
Since the show, Ebony hasn’t pursued modeling, but she has been contacted by a few agencies. Now, in her last year of nursing school, it’s easy to see that her focus has been education.
Although Ebony was portrayed as a quitter on the show, she refuses to quit her nursing program, but her goal for the near future will put her back in school with a different major. First, Ebony just wants to finish what she started.
One of her more “consistent” dreams while growing up happens to be far from nursing, but not too far from modeling. She still wants to be in front of the camera.
“I actually want to be a news broadcaster,” she says.
