This is more a tale of relentless bad luck, combined with relentless optimism .....
Blair Griffith was the usual run of the mill school girl when her father first encouraged the young 14 yr old tomboy to enter the pageant world .... he was eventually taken terminally ill, and after his death, her mother struggled to bring her and her brother/sister up. Still, all seemed OK after she struck lucky and won the 'Miss Teen USA' in 2006, and followed this up with winning the 'Miss Colorado USA' pageant in October 2010. It seemed that she was on the very cusp of that essential breakthrough, the one required to get one's little tootsies on the bottom rung of the magic celeb ladder.
“
It was a dream come true, four years I had tried to win the title of Miss Colorado USA; it’s just been a big, huge goal for me, and it was definitely one of those moments in life when I said, ‘Thank you.’ Something great had definitely happened.”
But just one month later, she answered a surprise knock at the front door of the townhouse she shared with her mother (who had developed health issues, and had lost her health insurance -
those legal weasels at insurance offices make health care an unhealthy issue in the US). It was Sheriff’s officers armed with an
eviction notice, who proceeded to toss all of their worldly possessions into trash bags.... and put the possessions, her, and her mother
out on the streets.
“
Anyone can fall victim to this with the situation that’s going on in today’s economy,” Griffith said. Still, she admitted, “
It was terrible. When you go through the eviction process, they basically come in and throw all your belongings into trash bags and you have no idea where anything is, and you’re just trying to get your life together in two hours’ time. It’s very difficult.”
Her mother had apparently let her know things were bad, but she had no idea how much difficulty they were in, and she had continued her four-year quest to capture the Miss Colorado USA crown to honour her father. Things didn't get much better shortly afterwards, when after juggling a full time job with her beauty queen role, the Saks Fifth Avenue store where she
worked closed, another victim of the recession economy.
However in the true spirit of the pageants and minor celebs everywhere, the little miss optimist, still hoped to go on and win the Miss USA crown ....
she didn't. But in words that every girl in this thread could happily subscribe to she said that ....
“
My message when I get there is just that I want to be an inspiration to everyone, and show you that no matter the hardships you’re facing, if you stay focused on your dreams and your goals, you can achieve them.”
I don't know what happened to this girl or her mother (
although they had found temporary accommodation and had offers of help in the reports I saw), but one has to say that I have a sneaking admiration for her unbreakable (
and very American if I may so), sunny spirit, as well as her determination to make it, regardless of the odds, and hope things have bucked up for her ....
not often I say that on this thread.
Pictures:
Again, unsurprisingly she has no thread .... so any follow up pictures or non relevant biographical content should go to a model thread (unless she is nude
)
