Danae Mercer Ricci is an instagram influencer with millions followers, who uses her platform to share a message of body positivity and educate about online image manipulation and the impact of social media on women. Her reels, photos and stories have reached all over the world, empowering women and girls to be more aware and informed of the multi-billion dollar industries that base their marketing strategies on telling us that we are not enough. Danae is also a journalist, a speaker, a wife and a mum, who works with women and young girls through her passion projects across the globe. But behind this success story is a journey of loss, grief, abuse, pain, and a crippling illness that nearly became the end of Danae’s life. Trudy Kerr sits down with Danae to dive into the woman behind the instagram page and uncovers not just the trauma and tragedy, but a tale of resilience and rising above her turbulent beginnings to aim high and keep climbing. This honest, open and raw interview leaves no story untold. Danae speaks with passion and love as she tells how her late mother pushed her to be more than her roots. She shares how her mum ran from bad relationships to worse relationships, taking her four children with her. Danae talks about the tragic sadness of her mother’s death, the subsequent unrootedness for her and her siblings and the impact on her as she poured herself into her studies and the ever increasing need to find comfort in the controlling disease Anorexia. In this episode of SHE WARRIORS, Danae delves into how she fought her way to recover from debilitating eating disorders, found her freedom in friendships, travelled the world whilst navigating a toxic relationship, blew up her socials and went viral in COVID with her body-honest message as she gathered 100,000 new followers a day by empowering women, but also gathering unwanted abusive attention. Danae tells the brilliantly entertaining and beautiful account of how she met the love of her life whilst locked together in an apartment for six weeks. Danae also shares her passion to use her voice to empower women, especially young girls, to navigate the world we live in today, and the very real challenges that face us. This episode of SHE WARRIORS is deeply moving, emotional and powerful. Danae brings an openness rarely experienced in interviews, a relatable rawness that will make all women (and men) feel seen in their own challenges and situations. Huge thanks to the partners that make these conversations possible, Brown’s Pharmacy, Hyatt Regency Malta and Intimissimi
