Renee Alway was once a striking blonde contestant on America's Next Top Model who came in third in 2007. Seven years later the 28-year-old is completely unrecognizable as she serves time in prison.

In an interview with ABC News, Alway put blame on reality television for her downward spiral.

"It was just closed door, after closed door, after closed door. And that was really hard to take," she said about life after appearing on Tyra Banks' popular show. "I felt like a failure because I couldn't get past the reality TV stigma that had been put on me."

However, Alway does acknowledge that many other contestants didn't turn out like her despite their elimination.

"There are plenty of girls who were eliminated and they're doing just fine so, obviously, I made choices that brought me here as well," she said.

After her stint on the long-running series, Alway participated on Banks' Modelville and landed several print ads and magazine features. Her life as a fashion model became grim when she turned to drugs and got arrested in 2013 on felony burglary charges. Her mug shot was the first glimpse of a frightening transformation from her time on the reality show. In prison, Alway sports a dark Mohawk and looks far different than the woman fans remember.

Now, she's serving 12 years in prison and also gave up custody of her three children.

"For the rest of my life I will feel the effects of what drugs have done to me," she said.

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America's next top model