“And the new Miss America 1995, Miss Alabama, Heather Whitestone!” Those are the words Regis Philbin said at the Miss America pageant in 1995 announcing the winner. But this winner had something more unique about her than a usual beauty contestant- she was deaf. In one instant, Heather Whitestone made history and became the first deaf Miss America. Not only that, she became the first woman to win Miss America with any type of disability. But there is so much more to her than the fact that she is deaf.
Heather was born on February 24th, 1973. She was not born deaf. As like many deaf people who become deaf because of a sickness, Heather became deaf due to the flu when she was a little over a year old. There are two types of deaf parents. One type wants their child to embrace being deaf and learn sign language. The second type wants to help their child be as “normal” as possible and has them learn to speak. Heather’s mother was the second type and had Heather learn to talk. American Sign Language was not used by Heather until her last year of high school.
Heather did not want her disability to hold her back. She was a student at a public school …show more content…
At the time of the biography written about her on the Miss America website, she had been a spokesperson for Starkey’s for 14 years, as well as The Cochlear Implant company for a total of 5 years. There were so many different causes that touched Heather’s heart that she felt she had to be apart of, like the Republican National Convention, National Institute of Health on Deafness and Other Communication Disorder’s Advisory Committee, and the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety initiative to just name a few. Another one of her exciting achievements was that she was named Person of the Week by Peter
Heather was born on February 24th, 1973. She was not born deaf. As like many deaf people who become deaf because of a sickness, Heather became deaf due to the flu when she was a little over a year old. There are two types of deaf parents. One type wants their child to embrace being deaf and learn sign language. The second type wants to help their child be as “normal” as possible and has them learn to speak. Heather’s mother was the second type and had Heather learn to talk. American Sign Language was not used by Heather until her last year of high school.
Heather did not want her disability to hold her back. She was a student at a public school …show more content…
At the time of the biography written about her on the Miss America website, she had been a spokesperson for Starkey’s for 14 years, as well as The Cochlear Implant company for a total of 5 years. There were so many different causes that touched Heather’s heart that she felt she had to be apart of, like the Republican National Convention, National Institute of Health on Deafness and Other Communication Disorder’s Advisory Committee, and the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety initiative to just name a few. Another one of her exciting achievements was that she was named Person of the Week by Peter