Ottawa’s Taylor Graham ranks near the top in Maxim Cover Girl contest

Ottawa native Taylor Graham didn’t have much in the way of expectations when she came across an Instagram post promoting Maxim’s Cover Girl contest, but she’s now leading one of the groups in fan voting to decide the finalists.

Graham said the contest ends in August and the current round of voting ends on Thursday, Aug. 21, after which another wildcard round begins that gives people a second chance to get into first place. Graham is ranked top five in her group.

“Last year they had over eight million people submit,” Graham said. “I was sitting on the train when I got that email so I already feel like a winner. You know, even after this round, I’m still grateful and so appreciative of all the support I’ve gotten from friends, family and everyone on social media.”

Graham said her hope is she tells her story and is a source of encouragement for people going through the same things she’s gone through. She was diagnosed with a heart disease called Long QT Syndrome when she was 13 and has since had five surgeries to change her defibrillator.

“When I had my first surgery at age 13, I was able to talk to other people that had gone through it and it really helped me get through that,” Graham said. “I’d like to do the same for others.”

She said she often refers to herself as battery operated, in reference to the defibrillator that has to get changed out every so often.

“It’s still as terrifying as the first time,” Graham said. “You know what you’re getting into but every surgery is different. I don’t care what age or what surgery it is. In my mind, I’m still afraid of needles and I’m gonna be 34-years-old terrified of getting an IV. I’m still confident and I trust the doctors I work with, though.”

Graham said she collects the defibrillators that have gotten taken out of her: They’re engraved with her name and she says they’re a part of who she is.

Graham grew up and lived in Ottawa until a few years ago when she moved to Chicago and then Lake Geneva. She returns to Ottawa whenever she has time to visit her family and R Grotto, where she worked for nine years until she left in 2014.

To vote for Graham, go to https://maximcovergirl.com/2022/taylor-nikcole.