Yazmin Oukhellou admitted that she still ‘cries herself to sleep’ after the horror crash that took her boyfriend Jake McLean’s life.
Earlier this year, the TOWIE star, 28, and her 33-year-old on-and-off partner were involved in a horrific car accident in the holiday resort of Bodrum, Turkey.
Jake was tragically pronounced dead at the scene when their Mercedes overturned, plunging 30ft into a ditch during their holiday at 4.30am in the morning on Sunday, July 3.
Yazmin was asleep at the time that the car veered off the cliff, something that doctors say may have saved her life.
Just over five months from the incident, and the reality star is reflecting on the year that passed as 2022 draws to a close.
Taking to Instagram on New Year’s Eve, Yazmin said: "This year was the year that changed my life forever. I lived through something I shouldn’t have. I learned that I am not as weak as I thought I was.
"I learned the importance of family and good friends and I learned that each and everyday is simply a blessing."
But despite overcoming all the odds following the debilitating ordeal, Yazmin still admitted that thinking about the accident makes her emotional.
She said: “There are nights I still cry myself to sleep and days I put my phone on aeroplane mode and hide away from the world, and that is okay.
"There are days I glam myself up and post on here so that everyone thinks I’m doing great and living my best life. And you know what? That's okay too."
She went on to advise her fans who may be dealing with a similar situation or facing grief that they should ‘do whatever is right for you’.
“To put it quite frankly, f*** what anyone else has to say on the matter. Live life for YOU because this is your story and no one else’s. I have had so many people judge me, give opinions, make up stories and I used to care, but since nearly losing my life I couldn’t give a s***.
“What I have realised is that life is way too short and those people passing comments probably wouldn’t even be functioning if they were in your situation right now. So for 2023 make a pact with yourself to live your life for YOU. LOVE yourself more. Make TIME for yourself. LEARN to enjoy your own company.
"All of this will EMPOWER you so that you don’t seek validation from insignificant people or even bat an eyelid when their unkind or untrue words whisper,” Yazmin said.
She went on to tell her 746K followers that she ‘will be cutting off, blocking, deleting anyone who doesn’t serve to my happiness and I will be giving ZERO second chances’, while she concluded her sentiments by stating that ‘everything is written in the stars’.
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