Heather Whitestone | Miss America 1995

Heather Whitestone

Miss America 1995

Fee Range
$7,500
Travels From
Atlanta, GA, US

Heather Whitestone
Biography

On September 17, 1994, Alabama's Heather Whitestone was selected as Miss
America 1995. During her year of service as Miss America, Heather focused her
efforts and activities on motivating our nation's citizens to achieve their dreams
through dedication, commitment and hard work. As she delivered her message,
“Anything is Possible,” throughout her term, Heather sought to inspire individuals
to achieve their goals through the S.T.A.R.S. program (a five-point approach for
personal empowerment). As Miss America 1995, Heather traveled an average of
20,000 miles each month and spoke in a different city every other day. She has
spoken to business corporations, non-profit organizations, churches, and
government, including the FBI and CIA.
Heather Whitestone was the first woman with a disability to be crowned Miss
America in the Pageant’s 75 year history. Heather lost her hearing at the age of
eighteen months when she was rushed to the hospital with a dangerously high
fever, the cause of which was later diagnosed as the Haemophilus influenza
virus. According to the doctors, she was only hours from death when they
administered two powerful antibiotics that reduced her fever and saved her life.
With the doctors assurances, Heather's relieved family took her home believing
that their once energetic toddler would be back to normal within a few weeks.
After a few months, it became painfully obvious that there was a problem when
Heather's mother accidentally dropped a pile of pans on the kitchen floor and
Heather, who was playing nearby, did not even flinch. At the Children's Hospital
in Birmingham, Alabama, Heather tested as “profoundly deaf” with no hearing in
either ear. Her condition was concluded to be the result of the virus, the
antibiotics or a combination of both.
Heather believes that the biggest handicap in the world is negative thinking and
that people handicap themselves by concentrating only on the negative instead
of the positive. Heather was inspired by her family to work hard and never quit
trying. Without an interpreter, she attended a public school until she was 12
years old and then enrolled in the Central Institute for the Deaf in St. Louis,
Missouri. In 1991, Heather graduated from public high school in Birmingham,
Alabama with a 3.6 grade point average. She continued to pursue her education
with the $37,000 Miss America Scholarship she was awarded.
In Heather's first book entitled Listening With My Heart (Doubleday, 1997) she
shared her life-changing wisdom with others, demonstrating that with strength
and faith, anything is possible. Heather’s second book, Believing The Promise,
was released in the summer of 1999. Let God Surprise You, introduces readers
to men and women whose extraordinary stories demonstrate how God can turn
around any situation. Her most recent book, Heavenly Crowns discusses striving
for a godly life in the midst of daily struggles. Her life story has been featured in
numerous books magazines and television features including the Oprah Winfrey
Show, Good Morning America, The Jay Leno Show and Parade Magazine to
name just a few. One of her favorite interviews was an interview with Barbara
Walters that was filmed in the China Room in the basement White House.

John K. Niparko, M.D., surgically implanted Heather with a cochlear implant at
The Johns Hopkins Hospital. On September 19, 2002, when the device was
turned on for the first time, Heather embarked on yet another journey, entering
the world of sound.
Heather has been one of the foremost advocates in the United States for those
with disabilities. In recognition of her influence she has been selected by two
Presidents’ to serve her nation. While serving as Miss America, Heather was
appointed by President Clinton to the President’s Committee on the Employment
of People with Disabilities. During the administration of George W. Bush the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, selected Heather
to serve on board of the National Center on Deafness and Other Communicative
Disorders. Heather also had the honor of being appointed by President Bush
and confirmed by the United States Senate to serve on the board of the National
Council on Disability.
Heather and John reside on Saint Simons Island, Georgia with their four boys
John, James, Wilson and their new baby, Liam.

Heather Whitestone
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