As one of Sports Illustrated’s latest swimsuit models, Maggie Rawlins is preparing pulses.
But Rawlins, 28, can help you with this increase in blood pressure – she’s a registered nurse.
The South Carolina native, who has modeled the lingerie brand Intimissimi and got the October cover of Elle Croatia, worked at a Queens medical center during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic last spring.
“I was working in Los Angeles and I booked a return flight [to South Carolina] thinking it would be a month or so, “Rawlins told The Post. He then called the nurses, so he immediately raised his hand and headed to New York City in late March 2020. .
“I had the skills established as a nurse and it was a responsibility more than anything. . . You just touched down. There were many obstacles. “
Asked if any patients or co-workers knew about their daily work, she said, “Absolutely not. And I don’t think anyone would have cared at the time. “
The 5-foot, 7-inch Rawlins was explored for modeling as a teenager. But she always wanted to become a nurse, like her grandmother who worked at night during labor and delivery. After finishing her studies, she was working as a hematology oncology nurse in South Carolina when a Miami agency contacted her.
“At first I thought it was a bit of a scam, but my head nurse said I was going to look for it. She said she kept her license active and if I didn’t like it, I could always come back, ”he said.
Rawlins maintained her credentials by volunteering with OneWorld Health, a nonprofit, and has traveled to countries such as Uganda and Nicaragua, working as a triage nurse, before returning to help in the pandemic-ravaged New York.
And in December, Rawlins, who is married to her childhood neighbor George Douglas III and now lives in Manhattan, received another life-changing call: she had been used to pose for the prestigious Bible of Manhattan. bikini.
“I had no idea he was even on the SI radar. I got a call from my agent telling me I was ready. Two hours later, he said, “You’re confirmed by Sports Illustrated, and you’ll be shooting in three weeks,” Rawlins said, adding that he had indulged in red wine and had to get back into shape quickly.
“I did a lot of Pilates at home and the Sculpt Society app with Megan Roup,” said Rawlins, who has as favorite SI swimming models Kathy Ireland and Elle Macpherson.
She hopes this bikini-baring moment will draw the attention of health workers.
“I want to emphasize that I was only there for three weeks, which is nothing compared to the sacrifices they have made,” he said, adding, “COVID has not stopped for them.”