Once one of the most recognizable faces on the planet, Paris Hilton\u2019s journey from scandal-plagued celebrity to advocate for vulnerable children is remarkable. Behind her glamorous image was a childhood marked by trauma. Born in 1981, she grew up in wealthy, strict households, dreaming of becoming a veterinarian. At 14, she faced abuse and was sent to a harsh boarding school for \u201ctroubled\u201d teens, where she endured neglect, forced medications, and recurring nightmares\u2014trauma that followed her into adulthood.<\/p>\n
For years, she masked her pain with a carefree, party-girl persona, but eventually she spoke out. Sharing her story was healing and inspired her activism to reform the troubled-teen industry. Today, Hilton is not only a billionaire businesswoman with successful ventures across fragrances, tech, DJing, and reality TV, but also a devoted mother, wife, and advocate, determined to protect children from the abuse she survived.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"