Stephanie Adams was a multi-faceted public figure known for her modeling career, entrepreneurial ventures in the metaphysical space, and her tragic end.
Born on July 24, 1970, in Orange, New Jersey, Adams was raised by her aunts, Joyce and Pearl, who were themselves former models. They encouraged her to enter the industry at age 16.
: In 2006, after a dispute with a taxi driver, she sued the NYPD for use of force. In 2012, a jury awarded her $1.2 million in damages. 4. Tragic Death (2018)
On May 18, 2018, Stephanie Adams and her seven-year-old son died after falling from a 25th-floor Manhattan hotel, in an incident ruled a murder-suicide during a contentious custody dispute.
: She initially identified as a lesbian in a 2003 cover story for She magazine, becoming the first Playmate to do so, though she later described herself as straight after marrying Dr. Charles Nicholai in 2010.
Adams leveraged her fame to build a brand centered on spirituality and self-improvement.
: In 1999, she founded Goddessy , a portmanteau of "goddess" and "odyssey," through which she published over two dozen metaphysical books, astrology calendars, and tarot cards.