Reeva Steenkamp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Reeva Steenkamp
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Steenkamp in an undated photo released by Capacity Relations in February 2013
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Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp
19 August 1983 |
| Died | 14 February 2013 (aged 29) |
| Cause of death | Gunshot wounds |
| Nationality | South African, British |
| Alma mater | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University |
| Occupation | Model, paralegal |
| Years active | 1997–2013 |
| Partner(s) | Oscar Pistorius; (2012–2013, her death ) |
| Modeling information | |
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in) |
| Hair color | Blonde |
| Eye color | Blue/green |
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Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp (Afrikaans: [ˈstiəŋkamp]; 19 August 1983 – 14 February 2013) was a South African model and paralegal. She was the first face of Avon cosmetics in South Africa. Steenkamp once worked as the live roaming presenter for FashionTV in South Africa and starred in television advertisements for Toyota Land Cruiser, Clover "The One", Redds and Aldor Pin Pop. She was a celebrity contestant on the BBC Lifestyle show Baking Made Easy in 2012 and on Tropika Island of Treasure season 5 which aired on SABC 3 in February 2013.
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Early life
Steenkamp was born in Cape Town to parents Barry Steenkamp, a horse trainer, and his second wife, June (née Marshall, previously Cowburn), who was born in Blackburn, England. She had two older half-siblings from her father and mother's respective previous marriages, Adam Steenkamp and Simone Cowburn. The family later moved to Port Elizabeth, where she attended St Dominic's Priory School. After school she studied law at the University of Port Elizabeth, which became a part of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 2005.
Career
After university Steenkamp worked as a paralegal and as a model. She applied to the bar in late 2011 and hoped to be a qualified legal advocate by the age of 30.
Modeling
Steenkamp began modelling at the age of 14. She was a finalist in the Weekend Post Faces of the Future competition in 2004 and in the Herald Miss Port Elizabeth contest in 2005. She was the first face of Avon cosmetics in South Africa. She also modeled for the jewelry company Sivana Diamonds.
Her style icon was Marc Jacobs.
Television
Steenkamp once worked as the live roaming presenter for FashionTV in South Africa. She starred in television advertisements for a range of products, including Toyota Land Cruiser, Clover "The One", Redds and Aldor Pin Pop. She featured as a celebrity contestant on the BBC Lifestyle show Baking Made Easy in 2012.
At the time of her death, Steenkamp was signed up to appear on season five of the reality TV program Tropika Island of Treasure and had filmed the series episodes on location in Jamaica. The screening of the series began airing as scheduled on 16 February 2013, two days after her death. The first episode of the series was dedicated to Steenkamp and was preceded by a video tribute to her.
Personal life
Steenkamp was a keen horse rider until she broke her back in a fall in her early 20s and had to learn to walk again. On the South African celebrity circuit she was a regular A-list guest at red carpet events and a noted socialite on the Johannesburg party scene.
Steenkamp had been dating Oscar Pistorius, a South African Olympic and Paralympic runner, since November 2012. She had previously dated Springbok rugby player Francois Hougaard.
Death
On Valentine's Day 2013, Steenkamp's boyfriend Oscar Pistorius fired four shots through the door of a locked bathroom cubicle in his Pretoria home, three of which struck Steenkamp who was on the other side. Steenkamp was mortally wounded.
Her body was cremated at Victoria Park crematorium in Port Elizabeth on 19 February 2013 and the service was conducted by Pastor Kurt Sutton of the Oasis Family Church in Port Elizabeth. Pistorius was arrested and charged with murder. On 6 July 2016, Judge Masipa sentenced Pistorius to six years in prison.
See also
In Spanish: Reeva Steenkamp para niños
