Heather Leigh Whitestone McCallum was the first deaf Miss America in 1995, having lost most of her hearing at the age of 18 months. Heather knows about overcoming adversity, she was the first Deaf woman to wear the crown.

She quickly learned sign language and completed high school with a 3.6 GPA. She went on to Jacksonville State and developed her love for ballet. She learned to listen for the sound waves in order to be able to properly dance at the right time. At the same time, she entered her first pageant and won the title of Miss Jacksonville State University.

In 1995 she graced the Miss America stage with her beauty and poise and won the hearts of the judges, ultimately winning her the crown. During her reign she went around the country promoting her S.T.A.R.S. program and engaging in motivational speaking events. After her time as Miss America had ended, she went back to Alabama to finish college and continued speaking to all types of people, especially those affected by disabilities.

Youtube.