Catherine

So I was a dancer growing up, and I just thought that pageants would be a good stepping stone from dance. Okay. I was in the Miss America system because dance was 50% of the score at that time. The two different pageant systems. I didn't know that. Miss USA, Miss America. that goes to Miss Universe, and Miss America. So Miss America is the talent. That's the difference between the two.

So I was always in the Miss America system, and I just couldn't win.

So I was always in the Miss America system, and I just couldn't win.

So I was always in the Miss America system, and I just couldn't win.

Yeah, I mean, I got tired of being first runner-up, second runner-up. So then I was like, okay, it's pretty clear maybe they don't want me. Hey, that's kind of familiar what happened. Anyway, maybe they don't want me. So I went to the Miss USA system. Okay. And the first year I was first runner-up. The second year I was second runner-up. And then the third year I won. And I don't know.

Yeah, I mean, I got tired of being first runner-up, second runner-up. So then I was like, okay, it's pretty clear maybe they don't want me. Hey, that's kind of familiar what happened. Anyway, maybe they don't want me. So I went to the Miss USA system. Okay. And the first year I was first runner-up. The second year I was second runner-up. And then the third year I won. And I don't know.

Yeah, I mean, I got tired of being first runner-up, second runner-up. So then I was like, okay, it's pretty clear maybe they don't want me. Hey, that's kind of familiar what happened. Anyway, maybe they don't want me. So I went to the Miss USA system. Okay. And the first year I was first runner-up. The second year I was second runner-up. And then the third year I won. And I don't know.

I just thought the world was here. The world was right at my doorstep. Right. After trying so hard and dancing since I was a little girl. And then six weeks after I won Miss Connecticut preparing for Miss USA, my mother died suddenly. So which you'll see on the show. I never really told anybody. I mean, what you saw on the show was very authentic.

I just thought the world was here. The world was right at my doorstep. Right. After trying so hard and dancing since I was a little girl. And then six weeks after I won Miss Connecticut preparing for Miss USA, my mother died suddenly. So which you'll see on the show. I never really told anybody. I mean, what you saw on the show was very authentic.

I just thought the world was here. The world was right at my doorstep. Right. After trying so hard and dancing since I was a little girl. And then six weeks after I won Miss Connecticut preparing for Miss USA, my mother died suddenly. So which you'll see on the show. I never really told anybody. I mean, what you saw on the show was very authentic.

It was the first time that I really opened up and told what really happened. I don't know if I was just like embarrassed. So when I went to Miss USA, I was certainly not in my right headspace. I found my mother dead. And it was really a tragic time for me. And I just, you know, had a hard time coping through that. such loss. Was she a huge support for you in your pageants?

It was the first time that I really opened up and told what really happened. I don't know if I was just like embarrassed. So when I went to Miss USA, I was certainly not in my right headspace. I found my mother dead. And it was really a tragic time for me. And I just, you know, had a hard time coping through that. such loss. Was she a huge support for you in your pageants?

It was the first time that I really opened up and told what really happened. I don't know if I was just like embarrassed. So when I went to Miss USA, I was certainly not in my right headspace. I found my mother dead. And it was really a tragic time for me. And I just, you know, had a hard time coping through that. such loss. Was she a huge support for you in your pageants?

She was a huge support for me. She was my, you know, she was my mom. I mean, you know, we were together all the time.

She was a huge support for me. She was my, you know, she was my mom. I mean, you know, we were together all the time.

She was a huge support for me. She was my, you know, she was my mom. I mean, you know, we were together all the time.

I was very close to my mom, yes. But it was a little bit of a different time. She never drove. She had her license, but she never drove. But yeah, I mean, my mother was my playmate. My mother was who I went to the store with. We even had a little part-time job together. Oh, you did? Yeah. I didn't even know this. Yeah. Yeah.

I was very close to my mom, yes. But it was a little bit of a different time. She never drove. She had her license, but she never drove. But yeah, I mean, my mother was my playmate. My mother was who I went to the store with. We even had a little part-time job together. Oh, you did? Yeah. I didn't even know this. Yeah. Yeah.

I was very close to my mom, yes. But it was a little bit of a different time. She never drove. She had her license, but she never drove. But yeah, I mean, my mother was my playmate. My mother was who I went to the store with. We even had a little part-time job together. Oh, you did? Yeah. I didn't even know this. Yeah. Yeah.

When I was in high school, I worked at a little clothing store when I was 16 and she worked there at night. Yeah. So, you know, we would walk to work together because neither one of us drove. And it was a long way. I mean, it was at least like two miles. I mean, we did. That's a long walk to go to work. I'm just saying, I don't know, maybe it was a mile.