MANILA, Philippines - Nyle DiMarco was hailed as the winner of the recently concluded final cycle of America's Next Top Model.
Despite being hearing-impaired and teased in his childhood days, DiMarco did not give up on his dreams.
"Being deaf did not give me any hesitation to be a part of the show," he told PEOPLE.
The 26-year-old DiMarco is the first deaf contestant of the show, and he actually thinks that being that way gives him an advantage as it sets him apart from the other contestants.
On Sunday, DiMarco proudly shared a photo of him with model-host Tyra Banks, sharing how the experience meant a lot to him.
DiMarco was born into a multi-generational deaf family and studied at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., which is the only university that caters to hearing-impaired students.