Debbie van der Putten, born in 1985, is a Dutch model who works in the tourism industry. She is famous for her physical disability, having lost her right arm above the elbow in a bus accident in the south of France in 2005.
Despite the setback, she continued to pursue her dream. She became a contestant on several reality television shows, such as Miss Ability in 2007 and Britain’s Missing Top Model in 2008, which aired on BBC3.
File
- Full name: Debbie van der Putten
- Date of birth: March 16, 1985
- Age: 38 years
- Gender: Female
- Place of birth: Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Nationality: Dutch
- Occupation: Model, Influencer, Motivational Speaker
Early life
Debbie van der Putten was born without a right forearm due to a congenital defect. Growing up, she faced discrimination and bullying because of her appearance.
However, she did not let this discourage her; instead, she found solace in sports and modelling. She started modelling at the age of 15 and soon became a successful model in the Netherlands.
Van der Putten studied Tourism and Catering at De Rooi Pannen, a vocational college, from 1998 to 2002.
Personal life
Debbie is married to her long-term partner, Tim, and they have a son named James. She is a devoted mother and often shares moments of her family life on social media platforms.
Career
Before appearing on Britain’s Missing Top Model, van der Putten made headlines for being the first amputee to pose nude for the Dutch edition of Playboy in 2007, helping to break sales records.
By 2008, she started working in the tourism industry as a career and soon became a part of Angel Sinclair’s diversity campaign through ‘Models of Diversity’ after her appearance on the show.
In 2012, van der Putten was signed by the Canadian agency Ben Barry, which specialises in diverse models. Sinclair founded the ‘Models for Diversity’ campaign and Debbie appeared in the agency’s first advertising campaign during the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London. In 2014, she modelled for the Dutch department store chain De Bijenkorf.
In 2023, she returned to pose for Steve Madden (company) in the #tobitefor campaign featuring Dutch TV presenter/stylist Fred van Leer.
Van der Putten is often mentioned alongside Aimee Mullins as an example of a disabled fashion model in many international sources.
Net worth
Debbie van der Putten’s net worth is estimated at $5.5 million.
Modeling contracts, advertisements, and social media presence have contributed to her wealth.
Social media
- Instagram: @debbievanputten
- Twitter: @debbievputten
