Biography of heather whitestone smith

Heather whitestone parents

She was the first deaf woman to be crowned Miss America in the Miss America pageant. Heather was born in Alabama on February 24, When she was eighteen months old, she came down with influenza and became deaf. Her doctor told her mother, Ms. Gray, that Heather would not make it past the third grade. Her mother then was determined for her daughter to learn how to speak.

She enrolled Heather in dance classes, hoping that learning rhythm would help her learn speech.

Is heather whitestone deaf

Because of this emphasis on speech , Heather did not learn American Sign Language until her senior year in high school. Despite the challenges she faced because of her hearing loss, Heather kept a positive and optimistic attitude throughout her childhood and into her adulthood. During her one-year reign as Miss America, Heather devoted her time to working with deaf children.

She also focused on getting the word out to all children both deaf and hearing that positive thinking is very powerful and helps lead to success. Heather also showed much dedication to the Deaf Community. Together, they operate Heather Whitestone, Inc. She has written three books , Listening With My Heart which tells how she overcame challenges through self-reliance, hard work, and faith , Believing The Promise , and Let God Surprise You which encourages people to let God surprise them, even with what may seem impossible.

Growing up I was a victim of oralism or audism. The doctors and specialists told my mother not to put me in deaf school or for ASL to be taught, rather I was to learn how to speak correctly and read lips.