A woman who suffered burns over nearly 70 percent of her body after being caught in a gas leak explosion in her home at the age of 10 has competed in the Mrs. Colorado America pageant.
Danette Haag, 48, strutted her stuff on stage at the Denver Center of Performing Arts on Saturday, with family and loved ones cheering her on.
The motivational speaker, mother and wife competed as Mrs. Windsor, Colorado among 34 other hopefuls for a change to to be crowned Mrs. Colorado America 2019.
Although Haag didn’t take home the top prize, she fulfilled a lifelong dream when she took the stage among a field of contestants who stunned with both their accomplishments and appearance.
Danette Haag, 48 (right), who suffered burns over nearly 70 percent of her body in a gas leak explosion in her home at the age of 10 (near that age at left), competed in the Mrs. Colorado America pageant in Denver on Saturday
The Mrs. Windsor, Colorado title holder fulfilled a lifelong dream by joining 34 women, stunning in both their appearance and accomplishments, on the state at the Denver Center of Performing Arts on Saturday
Haag’s sister, Danette Cheney, told CBS how Haag felt at a young age that she might never become the pageant participant she’d always wanted to be.
‘It was a big deal in our family to watch the Miss America pageant every year, Cheney said.
‘So, when she first watched it after the fire happened, she remembers feeling like a little girl who was crushed.’
Haag’s sister, Danette Cheney, told CBS how Haag felt at a young age that she might never become the pageant participant she’d always wanted to be
She didn’t take home the top prize, but the motivational speaker has now added one more achievement to her life story
Now, 38 years after the tragic accident that led to so much pain, surgeries, and physical and emotional scars, Haag was able to share what she has come to realize about true beauty with everyone in attendance at the Mrs. Colorado pageant.
‘We are all flawed. We are all imperfect,,’ Haag said in February, speaking to a crowd hanging on her every word during one of her motivational talks.
Her sister expanded on that sentiment, noting of Haag, ‘She wants everybody to know that beauty comes from within, not from the outside.’
‘We are all flawed. We are all imperfect,,’ Haag said in February, speaking to a crowd hanging on her every word during one of her motivational talks
Her sister, Denise Cheney (pictured), expanded on that sentiment, noting of Haag, ‘She wants everybody to know that beauty comes from within, not from the outside.’
In addition to her sister, her father, who also survived the fire, and her husband and children were there on Saturday to cheer her on. Haag is pictured with he children
Haag had plenty of support on Saturday. In addition to her sister, her father, who also survived the fire, and her husband and children were there to cheer her on.
‘We came here as a family, and as a husband, to support her as much as we can,’ Michael Haag, Danette’s husband said.
The Mrs. Colorado crown went to Mrs. Denver County Rachael Preslar.
Haag hopes to inspires other to accept their true beauty. She is pictured with her father