Ms. Whitestone, who became deaf when she was 18 months old after a reaction to a diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus shot, has 5 percent hearing in her left ear. A junior at Jacksonville State University, she reads lips, uses a hearing aid and knows sign language.

How did Heather Whitestone lose her hearing?

When she was 18 months old, she lost her hearing due to a serious ear infection. In fourth grade, Heather learned about the story of a young woman from Alabama who would forever change her life, Helen Keller.

Is Heather Whitestone deaf?

Whitestone was not deaf from birth but was deafened at 18 months of age due to a form of influenza. Despite her loss of hearing, she attended public school and learned to speak and read lips without an interpreter. Eventually, her parents enrolled her into Central Institute for the Deaf in St. Louis, Missouri.

Who is the most famous deaf person?

Helen Keller was a remarkable American educator, disability activist and author. She is the most famous DeafBlind person in history. In 1882, Keller was 18 months old and fell ill with an acute illness which caused her to become deaf, blind and mute.

When did Heather Whitestone get cochlear implants?

The desire to hear the voices of her two young boys is what inspired Whitestone to pursue the cochlear implant. Heather received her cochlear implant on Aug. 6, in a surgical procedure that lasted one hour and 20 minutes.

Five Inspiring Facts about Heather Whitestone| the First Deaf Miss America 1995!

27 related questions found

What law was passed in 1990 that impacted the deaf community?

The Americans with Disabilities Act became law in 1990, prohibiting discrimination based on disability.

What does Miss America do?

Miss America, in full Miss America Pageant, competition held annually in which young women representing each of the U.S. states, as well as the District of Columbia, compete by demonstrating a range of skills such as leadership, poise, and artistic talent.

What challenges did Heather Whitestone face?

Heather Whitestone was the first hearing impaired woman to win the title of Miss America. From a young age, Heather Whitestone was determined to succeed despite her disability. She suffered a serious ear infection at the age of 18 months, which rendered her deaf in one ear, with just 5% hearing in the other.

Can deaf join army?

Deaf people can't enlist in the military because they aren't able to pass the physical requirement of being able to hear beyond a certain threshold. Several bills have been introduced through the years to try to remove that hearing requirement.

Is Millie Bobby Brown deaf?

Millie Bobby Brown

Millie is deaf in one ear. Born with partial hearing loss, which then turned into full deafness following years of tubes, she doesn't always hear the director's "action" cue when shooting a scene unless it's loud.

What did Beethoven compose while deaf?

By 1820, when he was almost totally deaf, Beethoven composed his greatest works. These include the last five piano sonatas, the Missa solemnis, the Ninth Symphony, with its choral finale, and the last five string quartets.

Did Marlee Matlin win Miss America?

Actress Marlee Matlin was the second disabled actor to win an Academy Award. When Marlee Matlin was a teenager, she didn't care about the Academy Awards. She never watched the ceremony, opting for Miss America or reading Tiger Beat magazine.

Who was Miss America that was deaf?

A deaf dancer from Alabama was named Miss America on Saturday, becoming the first woman with a major disability to wear the crown. Heather Whitestone, a 21-year-old collegian from Birmingham, was also the only contestant to win two preliminary competitions, in the swimsuit and talent categories.