After a dog attack left model Gia Armani with severe facial scars, she found an unexpected path to healing and self-discovery: wood chopping.
The incident in November 2017 broke her nose and profoundly impacted her modeling career, which she had built since being scouted at age 15.
‘I had those scars for a long time,’ Armani, 31, recently told People magazine.
‘It put me out of work because, as a model, you’re kind of like a human hanger – a living mannequin. So having scars on my face wasn’t good for commercial work.’
For nearly a year, Armani wasn’t getting jobs which meant her income was gone and her future was left uncertain.
This period of hardship followed years of personal challenges, including the loss of her mother to cancer, a move to rural Pennsylvania, and struggles with her weight and emotional well-being.
It was during this difficult time that she began seeking new ways to be active.
‘I started trying different workouts – hiking, gym sessions, home workouts, even basketball. I was always looking for active things to do,’ Armani said.
Her new home, which had a fireplace in every room, meant she was already purchasing firewood.
‘One day, I thought – that looks like a great workout,’ she recalled.
And that thought ignited a new passion. After noticing some already-split wood in her yard, she asked the person responsible to teach her.
‘They said, “Are you sure you want to do this?” And I was like, “Yeah – I’m going live right now and doing it.”‘
Her livestream went viral, getting millions of views.
‘It just went crazy,’ Armani said. ‘People didn’t quite know how to react. Some loved me, some hated me – and honestly, I didn’t really care.’
She explained that much of the initial attention online came from viewers believing she was chopping wood incorrectly.
‘When I started, I think one of the reasons I went viral was because people thought I was doing it wrong,’ recalled the former model.
‘They’d say, “You’re swinging it wrong,” or, “That’s not how you chop wood.” But I was intentionally doing it harder – I wanted it to be a workout.’
Since that pivotal moment, Armani has fully embraced wood chopping, blending strength with fashion.
Often wearing sporty, stylish outfits, she has built a significant online presence, with over 1.4 million followers on TikTok and 460,000 on Instagram.
And her growth wasn’t just limited to her platform. She even lost over 80 pounds and said she has become more attuned to her body.
‘I never thought I would be chopping wood,’ she admitted.
‘It’s a world of difference from being on a photo shoot and literally having someone put your shoes on.’
She explained that while she has a large following, she also receives criticism sometimes – but she doesn’t let it affect her.
Armani has had moments where she realized her content makes a real difference – including when someone asked her for advice for someone who was feeling like they wanted to end their life.
‘At first, I didn’t think I was helping,’ she said. ‘But then I was overwhelmed by messages from people saying they were glad they found my stream that day.
‘I told them, if you can’t find anything positive, at least remember – life is unpredictable. So why give up?’
She said she now views the attack as the catalyst for a lot of personal growth, and since beginning her woodchopping journey Armani realizes how much freedom she has – especially not being in the modeling world anymore.
But she still has big dreams to return to the modeling world.
‘I still manifest it all the time – I want to be in Sports Illustrated so badly,’ she said.
‘They don’t focus on one body type. They’re open to all kinds of women.
‘I have stretch marks, I have loose skin from weight loss, and I’ve been through it – but that’s exactly why I think I belong there.’
