America's Next Top Model: Sundai Not Suicidal After Sendoff

Teenage former foster kid reassures us that being a model is not "more important than living"

Whew, that's a relief.

We have to admit we were worried when Sundai—the girl who said becoming America's Next Top Model is "more important than living"—was eliminated last night, just shy of making it to the top four.

But the teenage former foster kid reassured us this morning that her perspective is definitely sunnier, even though she believes she shouldn't have been sent home...

You seem so devastated by the loss...how are you coping?
I'm OK now. It's funny how many people called me and said, "Oh my god, it was so sad...are you OK?"

At one point you said the competition was "more important than living"? Do you still feel that way?
I think I was counting so much on winning because I'm so short [at 5 feet 3 inches, Sundai's the most petite of the diminutive contestants] that I just couldn't see anything but winning...I was just like, 'You have to win, you have to win.'

Why do you think you deserved to go further in the competition than Erin or the other girls?
I honestly think I wanted it more than Erin. She's taller, so I really wanted that chance a lot more.

Is Erin really as annoying as she seems?
When we went to Hawaii it was so nice, and everyone mellowed out so much. But Erin was still...uppity and arrogant, and just got on people's nerves because she was the only one who wasn't calm and chill. She's not that annoying.

How would you characterize Nicole's personality? She seems sort of...bizarre.
Nicole is bizarre, but it's a cute bizarre that works. It's not like, "You creep me out, I don't want to be your friend." She's really a funny person. She's always smiling. She always has something interesting to say. It's actually fun talking to her.

What were you going to tell the other girls about your past if you made it through to the top four?
They didn't know anything [about my past], and I felt they deserved to know...I struggled growing up—we didn't have the best family in the world. My dad left, my mom was going through a lot, and I ended up in an orphanage. Then I got adopted for about two to three years. [After that] I returned home to my mom, [went] in the foster system again, [and then] back with my mom. Then I turned 18, so they can't take me anymore if an incident was to happen.

Tyra talked about how you can serve as role model and inspiration to other kids in the foster care system. Do you agree?
I definitely agree. I help out now. I've met so many children who don't care and think they can't do anything. I really truly do [believe] you can do anything in life. And especially when you come from struggling bases—that just gives you more of a reason to work harder so you can have a better life.