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“There is no timeline or rulebook for healing,” were the words of Jena Sims after she broke a news which no parent should never have to. She was right, though. Time changes everything. And time also does not stop for anyone. Weeks after she said these lines, Sims is stepping into a new role. The wife of LIV golfer Brooks Koepka is now finding solace at a place that once helped her piece her own story. This time, it has circled back in her life, healing her. Sims, 36, has been announced as one of the judges for Miss Teen USA 2025, set to take place at the Grand Sierra Resort & Casino in Reno, Nevada. Speaking to US Weekly (who exclusively covered the news), Sims shared her feelings. “In a way, it’s healing. I was Miss Georgia Teen USA in 2007, and my experience didn’t end the way I had wanted so I’m excited to be back and see this through fresh eyes.” For Sims, a return to the glamorous stage of Miss Teen USA is a full-circle moment. Nearly two decade ago, in 2007, a teen Jena Sims was crowned the Miss Georgia Teen USA. As part of the next step, she should have been considered for the Miss Teen USA pageant that year, but she failed to grab a place. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad The disappointment was high as it was the first time since 2003, that Georgia did not reach the semis. But now, Jena Sims is back on the stage, not as a contender but as someone who’ll hold the fate of the 51 girls participating. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad “I thought for hosts for our Miss USA and Miss Teen USA this year, it was important to have familiar faces in the pageant world and familiar faces for the girls competing,” Miss USA president, chairman and CEO Thom Brodeur told US Weekly. A bunch of star-studded judges will join Sims. The panel will have fellow model Cassidy Wolf, Real Houswife of Potomac’s Candiace Dillard Bassett, singer Madisyn Shipman, and actor Josh Randall. Celebrating the news, Jena Sims took to her Instagram account, posting the article as her story with the caption “Let’s GO GURLS!” For her, this is just an added accomplishment to her stellar modelling career. Sims has been a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model in 2023 after winning the magazine’s Swim Search competition. Sine then she has appeared in three consecutive issues. Moreover, she has also walked the SI Swimsuit runway – while being 7 months pregnant! But amidst all this glam and glitz, the timing of this announcement should not be ignored. Just earlier this month, Sims had announced in an emotional Instagram post that she had suffered a miscarriage at 16 weeks. Sims and Brooks Koepka who already have a two-year-old son named Crew, had not publicly announced the pregnancy. So when the news unfolded, the shock was imminent. Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports “At 16 weeks, we learned that our baby’s heart had stopped beating,” Jena Sims had wrote. “This is a grief no parent is ever prepared for. We are devastated but remain hopeful to give Crew a sibling one day.” The post included pictures of their unborn baby’s sonogram and a photo of a gender reveal cake. This struck a chord with many as in a matter of hours, Sims and Koepka recieved multiple messages of support. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Sims later added on her story, “…If I can make one woman feel less lonely by sharing, then I’ve done my job.” What’s more unfortunate is that this is not the first time the Koepka-Sims family has faced a challenging pregnancy. When Crew was born in July 2023, the experience was, in Sims’ own words, “terrifying.” Crew arrived six weeks premature, forcing the couple to opt for an emergency C-section. After his birth, he spent several days in the neonatal intensive care unit before finally being allowed to go home. Their recent loss has brought back memories of that difficult time, yet both Jena and Brooks are once again trying to find peace and strength through their grief. Much like PGA Tour star Gary Woodland and his wife Gabby—who endured the heartbreaking loss of one of their twin daughters in 2017—Sims is learning to turn pain into purpose. Woodland’s tragedy reshaped his outlook, and his 2019 U.S. Open victory became a moving tribute to his family and late daughter. Similarly, Jena Sims is channeling her emotions into new beginnings—her Miss Teen USA judging role and a fitness project that help her heal while inspiring others. Jena Sims tenacious approach to fight through grief For anyone else, the loss of a pregnancy might force them inside a box full of grief, but not Jena Sims. Just days after announcing her miscarriage, Sims launched a free weekly workout series with fellow SI Swimsuit model Katie Austin. The series, in a symbolic way, is aimed at women especially new mothers, who are looking to rebuild their strentgh and cofidence. The series will be featured on their Instagram account and will offer quick, 7-10 minute routines that require minimal equipment. It will have everything, from a “7-Minute Booty Blast” to a barre inspired full-body flow. Sims and Austin eben teased the launch with a playful “booty snap” video, a small defiant burst of joy in a tough time.
