Woman who suffered 70% burns on her body in house fire competes in beauty pageant
A 48-year-old woman who had suffered 70 percent burns on her body after being caught in a gas leak fire in her home at the age of 10 has now been able to compete and take part in the Mrs. Colorado America pageant.
Danette Haag was seen rocking the runway on the stage at the Denver Center of Performing Arts on Saturday while all her friends and family cheered her on. Haag competed as Mrs. Windsor, Colorado, along with 34 other hopeful participants wanting to be crowned Mrs. Colorado America 2019. Even though Haag did not win the top prize, she was able to fulfill her lifelong dream of being on stage.
Haag's sister DeAnn Cheney spoke to CBS and shared that Haag, at a young age, feared that she may never become the pageant participant she wanted to be. "It was a big deal in our family to watch the Miss America pageant every year. So, when she first watched it after the fire happened, she remembers feeling like a little girl who was crushed," Cheney shared.
Nearly 38 years after the horrific accident which resulted in pain, surgeries, and physical and emotional scars, Haag was able to share what true beauty means to her while at the Mrs. Colorado pageant.
In February, Haag spoke to a crowd and said, "We are all flawed. We are all imperfect." Her sister Cheney echoed her statements and said, "She wants everybody to know that beauty comes from within, not from the outside."
While Haag walked the ramp at the Denver Center of Performing Arts, she had a lot of support. Aside from her sister and father (who also survived the fire), her husband and children were also present to cheer her on. Danette's husband Michael Haag shared, "We came here as a family, and as a husband, to support her as much as we can." The Mrs. Colorado crown was awarded to Mrs. Denver County Rachael Preslar.