A plus-sized winner of a Miss Alabama beauty contest, Sara Millikеn, has responded to online trolls who labeled her an “unhealthy embarrassment.” The 23-year-old was thrilled when she won the top prize in the National American Miss pageant, but her joy was short-lived as she faced a barrage of negative comments about her appearance.
“Even something that you type over a screen can have a lasting impression on people,” Millikеn told WKRG. “Even though I’m not at that point, it can lead people to do some very dark things to themselves.”
Millikеn’s response to the criticism highlights the impact of cyberbullying and the importance of kindness. Despite the negative comments, she remains determined to not let the harsh words hold her back as she prepares for the national final in Florida over Thanksgiving.
Among the cruel remarks, Blaine Tom Mieroughts wrote, “I thought it was a beauty pageant,” while Randy Hicks added, “Is that actually considered attractive in Alabama?” John Mason made a hurtful reference to the fast-food chain, saying, “This should have been (M)iss Jack in the Box winner.”
However, Millikеn also received support from many individuals. Tracie Stephens-Brooks praised her, saying, “To know is to love her. This young lady has a heart of gold and will give anyone in need a helping hand. A beautiful obese diva with style, sass, and a lot of class.” Samantha Thrash Duff expressed her pride, stating, “So proud of her! We watched her all weekend and prayed hard that she would come home with that title! She is an amazing, sweet young woman and is going to do great things!” David Junior added, “Great to finally not see some 100lb, blonde hair blue eyes who wants world peace win! Congrats to Alabama and this Queen!”
Millikеn’s victory was her third attempt at the contest, which aims to foster “positive self-image by enhancing natural beauty within.” She competed over Memorial Day Weekend, participating in interviews, volunteer work, and presentations. The pageant scores contestants based on “personality, confidence, and communication,” according to organizers.
The website for the contest states, “Braces, glasses, skin problems, varying heights, weights, and appearances are all a part of creating the special and unique individual that you are and that we want to celebrate.”
Although sh.ocked by the initial negative response, Millikеn has since received an outpouring of support from around the world, gaining 2,500 followers on Instagram and Facebook overnight.
She remains focused on spreading positivity. “I’ll be honest, it got to me for about five minutes,” she admitted. “Their words can hurt, even if it is online. I’ve always wanted to spread positivity, and this kind of put me in a position to do exactly that.”
Supporters have offered her everything from dresses to beauty products to help her in the next round of the competition. Millikеn emphasized the importance of kindness and noted that not everyone can easily shake off cyberbullying.
“No matter what your body looks likе, no matter where you come from, you can do anything you set your mind to,” Millikеn said following her victory. “I met so many amazing and accomplished women. That was definitely the best part.”
Hundreds of supporters have since flooded her inbox with offers of support, reinforcing the importance of community and positivity in the face of online negativity.
Man Hears His Dog Barking from Afar, Finds It Sitting near an Abandoned Baby – Story of the Day
Jack checked on his dog Ralph who kept barking on the street, only to discover an abandoned baby with him. The baby turns out to be a very special girl who would change Jack’s life forever.
Despite being a wealthy man, Jack was known as one of the kindest and most generous people in town. He could have had it all until three months ago when he discovered his wife had been cheating on him with his best friend.
Jack divorced his wife, and she moved to a different state with his now ex-best friend. He didn’t let the incident harden his heart, and he remained kind towards everyone around him. However, everybody knew that he was quite a lonely man no matter how kind and friendly he was.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
To ease his loneliness, Jack got himself a dog and named it Ralph. “At least you won’t betray me, right Ralph?” he said once he got him, smiling through the pain.
As he was a busy man, Jack had Ralph trained to behave. He would allow Ralph the freedom to run in their backyard in the afternoons, and once he grew tired, the adorable dog would find its way back inside the house.
One day, he let Ralph outside. He was watching a movie on TV when he realized Ralph had not returned home yet. He stepped out and heard the dog barking from afar.
Jack ran over the fence to get closer. Once he reached the road, he saw Ralph next to a baby lying on the grass.
“You poor child,” he said, saddened that someone would leave a helpless baby out on the street. He checked around the area for a bag that might have belonged to the child, but there wasn’t any. A tiny baby was crying, lying in a basket, while my dog sadly nudged her with his nose, as if out of sympathy. Inside the basket, I found a note. I read it with a heavy sigh.
“Don’t look for her parents. This child is yours now. Take care of her.”
Before taking her home, he went to the nearby convenience store and purchased baby milk and diapers so that he could properly care for the child. When they got home, he fed her and changed her diapers. Then he called the police and reported the incident.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“This poor baby was left alone on the street with nothing but her clothes. There were no other adults in the area, so I took her in,” Jack explained.
The police said that they would check CCTV footage in the area to find her parents. However, they were to search for foster parents for the baby for now.
After hearing this, Jack didn’t hesitate. “Can I become her guardian?” he asked. “I run my businesses from home, so I wouldn’t have any problems taking care of her.”
The police got a couple more details and proof of identification from Jack, and they allowed the little girl to live with him. Jack took care of her for months, and when it was determined that her parents could not be identified, she was up for adoption.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
As soon as he could, Jack processed the papers needed to adopt the little girl, whom he named Emily, legally.
He raised Emily as his own daughter, even naming her after his mother who also raised him on her own. He loved Emily dearly and provided her with everything she needed and more.
Likewise, Jack was Emily’s hero. She looked up to her dad and always wanted to be around him. Together, they enjoyed every meal together and would go to the park, their favorite ice cream parlors, and the arcade where they spent time a lot of time together.
When Emily turned seven and started going to school, many of the parents and even teachers would note how Jack and Emily looked alike. Even Jack’s friends would say that they “looked like twins.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Jack never thought of Emily as his adopted daughter, so he took these as compliments and would simply smile every time someone spoke about their resemblance.
One day, while Emily was playing with Ralph in their backyard, she fell and scratched her head on the pavement. As Jack began to treat the wound with an antiseptic, he noticed an incredible thing.
“Would you look at that, sweetheart? We have the same birthmark!” he said, surprised. He never noticed Emily’s birthmark before because her hair covered it.
“We were always meant to be together, dad,” she said, wiping her tears away and smiling at her dad.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Curious about how this could happen, Jack decided to do a DNA test. He took a sample of Emily’s hair and sent it alongside his own. He didn’t think much of it, but he was stunned when the results came about three weeks later.
The test showed a 99.9% match that Emily was his daughter. He had always been a loyal man, so it only meant one thing – his ex-wife had been pregnant with his child.
He decided to give her a call, and she answered. “What do you want, Jack?”
“Why didn’t you tell me we had a daughter?” he asked her as soon as she answered.
“I didn’t want to raise your child, nor did I want to see you ever again, so I left her on the road. I knew you’d find her anyway. Bye now, and please don’t ever call me again,” she said before putting down the phone.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Jack couldn’t believe it and was in tears. While knowing that Emily was actually his biological daughter did not affect his love for her, he was glad to know that he was able to care for his own daughter.
“What’s wrong, dad?” Emily asked after she saw her dad crying.
“Nothing’s wrong, sweetheart. I’m just really happy,” he explained. “Remember what dad told you? That you were sent to me from heaven even though I was not your real dad?” he asked her.
Emily nodded. “You are my real dad, dad. Don’t forget that,” she corrected him.
“Yes, sweetheart. I am your real dad. These DNA results prove that” he said, handing her the paper.
“I told you, dad. We were always meant to be together,” Emily said, hugging him.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
A few years later, Jack found love again. Having been present in all of Emily’s school activities, he eventually fell in love with one of her teachers.
Two years after they got married, Emily gained a baby sister. Emily took on being a big sister with a lot of pride and joy.
Since then, Jack, Emily, and the rest of their family have lived peacefully and happily. They valued their time together as a family more than anything. This prompted Jack to retire early to spend more time with his children.
What can we learn from this story?
- Experiencing hardships should not harden our hearts. No matter how painful it was for Jack to lose his wife and his best friend after they betrayed him, he didn’t allow it to embitter him. Instead, he picked himself back up and found ways to cope while remaining kind, generous, and truthful.
- It’s never too late to start again. Jack never imagined ever having a family after what happened to him, but Emily entered his life and taught him what true love means. Through his healthy relationship with his daughter, he was hopeful that he’d be able to find love again, and he eventually did.
Share this story with your loved ones. It might inspire them and make their day.
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