Productivity Hacks

The Victoria’s Secret angel who cleared $550 million in medical debt for 261,000 Californians after being inspired by her ailing mother.

Jeff Grossman/WENN

By January Nelson
January Nelson

Miranda Kerr and her husband Evan Spiegel recently cleared nearly $550 million in medical debt for over 261,000 people across California. Letters notifying recipients began arriving in mid-July 2026. No claim, no refund, no hold.

“One of the reasons we wanted to share this directly is because if you ever get an e-mail saying you’ve been forgiven for your medical bills, we want you to know it’s true,” said Kerr.

Miranda Kerr, Adriana Lima, and Doutzen Kroes at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Avenue Armory in New York City.
Adriana Lima, Miranda Kerr, and Doutzen Kroes walk the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Avenue Armory in New York City in November 2012. Photo by Ivan Nikolov / WENN.com.

This gift was covered by his family. “When someone you love is sick, all you want to do is focus on helping them get better,” she said. “That’s why we wanted to support this effort and help reduce medical debt, so families can focus on caring for their loved ones and truly supporting their healing.”

Celebrities in the stands at Roland Garros during the 2026 French Open Men's Singles final
At Roland Garros on June 8, 2026, Flavio Cobolli and Alexander Zverev faced off in the Men’s Singles final of the French Open, drawing fans and celebrities to the Paris area. Photo by MEGA.

That idea comes from his mother. Kerr founded KORA Organics in 2009 after her mother was diagnosed with tumors on her spleen, an experience she says forced her to get healthy and give back. A medical loan offer is the same incentive, amplified.

Miranda Kerr walks the runway at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Avenue Armory in New York City.
Miranda Kerr takes the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Avenue Armory in New York City on November 7, 2012. Photo by Andres Otero / WENN.com.

Here’s how the math really works. The donation went to Undue Medical Debt, a nonprofit organization that buys distressed medical debt in bulk for about one cent on the dollar. That means a cash donation in the low millions can wipe out hundreds of millions in face value debt. The rating is real, the model is public, and for the 261,000 Californians who received those letters, the debt is truly gone.

This isn’t Kerr and Spiegel’s one-off. In 2022, they paid off the entire student debt of the graduating class at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, about 285 students. It was the largest gift in the school’s history. They spoke at the beginning and received a doctorate.

Miranda Kerr walks the runway at the 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at the Lexington Avenue Armory in New York City.
At the Lexington Avenue Armory in New York City, Miranda Kerr walks the runway during the 2012 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Photo by Jeff Grossman / WENN.

Their Spiegel Family Fund has also supported Stockton Scholars, the Stanford Community Service Center, Code.org, the Equal Justice Initiative, and a range of LA housing groups working on homelessness. For the 2022 trip to Australia, they quietly donated hundreds of thousands to local causes in the Hunter region, including a reported $350,000 to the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network.

Miranda Kerr and Evan Spiegel at the Baby2Baby 10-Year Gala 2021 in West Hollywood
At the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, Miranda Kerr and Evan Spiegel attend the Baby2Baby 10-Year Gala on November 13, 2021. Photo by MEGA.

Kerr also sits on the board of Baby2Baby, a nonprofit that distributes diapers, formula, and clothing to families in need across the US. KORA Organics is donating 50% of its International Women’s Day sales to Harvest Home and the Royal Women’s Hospital in Australia.

The pattern for everything is the same: high-rated models when they exist, target values ​​when they don’t, and a lot of giving is done quietly.

Thanks for reading. You can find the Thought Catalog on Facebook, and learn more on our website.



Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button