She's like a sister - Close friend pushed Davina Bennett to enter pageant

Believe it or not, Davina Bennett's year got off to an awful start. After a traumatising robbery, the aspiring model was faced with the possibility of giving up her career before the lens, but one of her closest friends had other plans.

Jermaine Dyer is founder of Sway Caribbean Model Agency, for which Bennett assists with model training. Dyer is also responsible for signing up Bennett for the Miss Universe Jamaica competition behind her back. The beauty would later go on to place third in the Miss Universe pageant which was held in Las Vegas, United States, recently.

"As a friend, I always knew she had a greater purpose. I signed her up even though she didn't want to do it - and I laid it out - everything, she would need to be as competitive as possible in the local competition. I didn't cry when she won the local pageant. I expected she would have won because she had that in her hand," Dyer told THE STAR.

However, earlier this year proved difficult for the pageant queen.

"At the beginning of 2017, we were encountering a lot of different things - a lot of bad things. It was a negative year. We got robbed. We reached a point where we felt like we'd given up," Dyer said.

"It was very tough. It was a birthday photo shoot. Everything was fine. We were preparing to leave, and we only hear 'don't move'. I don't even feel comfortable talking about it because it always comes back," he continued.

He recalled the robbers warning that if they breathe too hard, they would be hurt.

"I was praying they wouldn't rape her or anything. I was thinking positive throughout the ordeal. It was a tough thing to deal with," he said.

NO ROOM FOR NEGATIVITY

In collaboration with the Sway Caribbean Model Agency, utilising her growing platform from the Miss Universe Jamaica pageant, the pair of friends developed The Davina Bennett Foundation for the Deaf. The pair began plans for the foundation after the agency signed its first deaf model, Britney Barnes.

"We developed the foundation so that she could resonate with people in different societies, so that we could respond with something positive. That's how the foundation was founded - from her drive with all that happening during the year," he said.

"I'm really elated. I think when you're friends, your friendship must surpass a friendship. She's more like a sister. There's this connection with us. Where negativity is concerned, we have no room for it."

Dyer believes that it will be only good things for his friend in the future.

"From here, it's greatness. She's really happy that she made a mark, not only the world, but on the universe. She's grateful for where she's at."