Captain Sandy Yawn has been part of the Below Deck franchise since 2013 when she led her crew across the Mediterranean. She has since made a name for herself in the world of yachting for her leadership skills and her ability to overcome any obstacle that comes her way. One thing that isn’t highlighted in the series, however, is what goes on in her life when the cameras are off. Captain Sandy has a girlfriend, and she is not afraid to show her off to the world.
Captain Sandy has been open about her sexuality throughout her time on Bravo, though she refuses to apply a strict label to herself. Sandy has said that she has loved both men and women in the past, and she doesn’t want to be put in a box because of her personal, emotional decisions. She also claimed it’s difficult to find love as a yacht captain, particularly because she spends so much time on the water. Still, she couldn’t resist falling for Leah Shafer when the gospel singer came into her life.
Captain Sandy first opened up about her now-girlfriend in May 2019 (via Cheat Sheet). She said the two met online after Leah direct messaged her on Facebook following an episode of Below Deck: Mediterranean. The message was short and sweet, as Leah shared how much she liked the episode and sent her best wishes to the captain. Obviously, the communication didn’t end there, as Sandy looked into Leah’s background and discovered she was a gospel singer. God is very important to Sandy, so she was immediately drawn to Leah. At the time, Sandy was preparing to go on her “I Believe” tour that centered around inspiring and motivating people with lessons of leadership and empowerment. Yawn felt Shafer would be a perfect addition to the tour.
When Sandy and Leah met in person, they quickly fell in love. They have described their relationship as a “spiritual connection.” However, things haven’t always been easy for the pair. The couple has been under fire over their same-sex relationship and religious beliefs. Leah mentioned how some religious institutions have decided to no longer support her since she went public with her relationship with the yachting captain. However, Leah isn’t letting that hold her back from who and what she loves. She said, “It’s looked against it, loving the same sex. I think you can’t help who you fall in love with. God is love. He doesn’t care.” The pair continues to remain as strong as ever, even when Sandy is sailing oceans across the world.
Before Captain Sandy, Leah was married to a man – motivational speaker Ross Shafer – for 20 years. The couple have a now 15-year-old daughter, LaurenRae, whom they adopted in 2006. Leah’s musical background is nothing to be shy about. In her gospel singing career, she has released approximately six albums. She also regularly performs the national anthem at the Denver Broncos games. The team even described her as their lucky charm.
Since Leah and Captain Sandy first started dating, Sandy actually wound up moving to Denver to be closer to the gospel singer. Being closer helped strengthen their bond and the pair discovered they have many common interests, including their shared love of music. Leah and Sandy are even working on a musical collaboration of some sort. When talking about Sandy and their connection, Leah said: “And then, of course, the attraction and falling in love with a beautiful soul and knowing you want to be with someone forever.”
Below Deck Mediterranean airs Mondays at 9 pm ET on Bravo.
Source: Cheat Sheet