The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tom Brady, not only won on the fields but also in life. He is married to one of the highest earning models in the world, Gisele Bündchen. The former Victoria’s Secret angel is no stranger to the glamorous world of Hollywood. In fact, one of his most highly publicized relationships the world knows about was with the Oscar-winning, talented actor Leonardo DiCaprio. The pair called it quits in 2005. And even after seventeen years, she looks back at her former beau with much respect.

One may expect to remember their ex-partners in a spiteful manner. But that is not how Gisele Bündchen recalls his young love. The former couple began dating in 1999 after, what was rumored, Leo sought her out after he saw her walk on a runway show. They split briefly in 2002 but only came back together to break up in 2006.

While talking about the time the reporters filled the tabloid columns with the news of hot supermodels and the industry’s heartthrob, she had an open perspective. She said, “Leo is a really wonderful person. We still speak sometimes, and I’m friends with his mom. He still has one of my dogs. He’s done a lot for the environment, and I admire what he’s done. We know what we had; we were very young…”

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“And we grew together in a lot of ways. We were just not meant to be boyfriend and girlfriend, but I respect him enormously, and I wish him nothing but the best.” Two of Bündchen’s horses and three of her dogs stayed with Leo.

Gisele Bündchen felt lonely during her relationship with Leo

It was with Leo’s relationship that the runway model experienced panic attacks. “I had been smoking cigarettes, drinking a bottle of wine and three mocha Frappucinos every day, and I gave up everything in one day,” Gisele Bündchen told People. “I thought, if this stuff is in any way the cause of this pain in my life, it’s gotta go.”

And what else caused the pain? Leo. She felt “alone” throughout the relationship. After breaking up with him, the model stayed single for a year to discover and explore herself. Then, at the end of 2006, she met her future husband and father of three children, Tom Brady. 

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