Story highlights Young says Trump 'lifted her spirits' when she was very ill

Trump offered to support her Mexican-American son's education, she says

(CNN) A former Miss Wisconsin and Donald Trump supporter sought to counter charges of racism and sexism against the GOP presidential candidate on Friday, saying he had come to the aid of her family in "its darkest hour."

Speaking on CNN's Newsroom, Melissa Young, who was crowned Miss Wisconsin 11 years ago, described a dramatic moment involving Trump, before he was a presidential candidate. Young was told she was gravely with a blood clot, and while in the hospital, she received an envelope from the businessman

"Handwritten by Mr. Trump, it said 'must be delivered by 8 a.m.," she told CNN's Carol Costello. "I opened it and there was a message from him saying, 'To the bravest woman I know.'"

"It lifted my spirits," she said. "He continued to do that, to reach out to check on me, to check on my son to see how he was doing."

Her compassionate characterization of the businessman stands in contrast to the widely-publicized feud between former Miss Universe winner Alicia Machado, whose weight gain has been the target of negative comments by Trump. She's also accused him of calling her racially-charged names.

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