Heather whitestone mccallum

American former beauty queen and conservative activist

Heather Leigh Whitestone McCallum (born February 24, ) is an American conservative activist and beauty queen who was the first deaf Miss America title holder, having lost most of her hearing at 18 months.

Early life and education

Whitestone was born in Dothan, Alabama, to Bill Whitestone and Daphne Gray. When she was 18 months old, she lost her hearing due to a serious ear infection.

Heather whitestone mccallum family

In fourth grade, she learned about the story of Helen Keller, who would forever change her life. Keller became her role model. She was unable to keep up with her classwork and began to fall behind her peers. She asked her family to send her to a special school that would enable her to catch up with other students in her class.

While at the Central Institute for the Deaf in St. Louis, Missouri, she learned two grade levels per year.^[1] After three years, she caught up with her peers and returned to Alabama to g