Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 2 really had a solid cast. Both the deck crew and interior teams were highly competent and enthusiastic. A great group of personalities too. And there was little drama within the team, save for Bosun Gary King’s incessant pursuance of Alli Dore.
Everyone was rooting for Second Stew Dani Soares. She had a great attitude and work ethic. The Brazilian native charmed deck hand Jean-Luc Cerza Lanaux and the two may or may not have conceived a child during their time together on Parsifal.
Dani returned to Australia after the charter season ended and announced her pregnancy shortly before the reunion filmed. There was speculation that Jean-Luc is the father of the now 7-month old girl, but it was never confirmed with a paternity test.
Daily Mail Australia recently interviewed Dani, who is a resident of Sydney, to check in on life after Below Deck Sailing Yacht. It turns out, both Dani and her daughter Lilly caught Covid-19 over Christmas and only recently recovered.
The single mother explained, “having Covid together and being sick was very challenging. Lilly got it from childcare and passed it on to me. My whole body hurt and I suffer from migraines as well and I had one on the worst day.”
Dani elaborated on the challenges of caring for a sick infant without any support. “I can only imagine how Lilly felt,” the former reality TV star said, “she wanted to be held at all times and I couldn’t blame her because I would want the same.”
RELATED: Jean-Luc Cerza-Lanaux Wants To Know If He Fathered Dani Soares’ Baby; Below Deck Stars Slam Him For Not Taking Paternity Test
Thankfully, mother and daughter are on the mend. Dani explained, “we are almost 100 per cent. Lilly is still just coughing a little bit but she’s back being herself.” Dani left the yachting industry after the show. She is currently working part-time as a beauty therapist while simultaneously studying nursing. The former second stew admits that it has been challenging to balance professional obligations while raising Lilly solo.
“I managed to study part time in the second semester last year,” Dani explained, “I actually did an exam one week after Lilly was born; it was a practical exam where I had to do a patient’s vital signs and when I finished I looked down and my boobs had leaked.”
Dani continued, “I went back to work when Lilly was four months, just after the last lockdown, and it was terrible to start with because she wouldn’t take a bottle so I had to run to childcare every three hours and breastfeed her.”
“But now she’s all good and happy at childcare, drinks from a bottle, drinks formula and has started eating solids,” Dani added.
Despite the daily challenges, Dani is looking toward a brighter future for motivation. “I have two more years of study and I should graduate at the end of 2023,” she said.
RELATED: Dani Soares Wishes Jean-Luc Cerza-Lanaux Filmed Below Deck Sailing Yacht Reunion With The Cast Instead Of Taping His Portion Separately
“It will be very challenging for the next two years studying full time and working part time” the single mother said, “but it’s just that push so we can have a better more stable life. I’m focusing on giving my baby the best life I possibly can and that will come after all the hard work.”
Dani can always look to fellow stewardess Alli for support. The two remained friends since filming wrapped and Alli also conceived a child since appearing on Season 2. The former third stew and boyfriend Benny Thompson welcomed son River George in August 2021.
RELATED: Below Deck Sailing Yacht Star Dani Soares Says She Would Never Prevent Her Child From Seeing Her Father
TELL US- SHARE ANY WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT YOU HAVE FOR DANI AT THIS TIME?
[Photo Credit: Bravo]
