METAIRIE, La. — Emmy Rabalais isn’t your ordinary pageant queen. She speaks fluent French, can tell you any country’s flag, and knows almost every celebrity’s birthday, and she does it all from a wheelchair.
Seventeen years ago, Emmy was born with Cerebral Palsy, but she never let that get in her way.
“A chair hasn’t stopped me, and I want to show everyone that in everything I’m passionate about, and that’s speaking in French, fundraising, and pageantry,” Emmy Rabalais said.
Last month, she and her mom traveled from Metairie to Cleveland, where she was crowned the first Miss Teen Wheelchair USA.
“I am honored to have received the title of Miss Teen Wheelchair USA,” Rabalais said.
She brought beauty, brains, and big accomplishments to the stage.
From fighting to make schools more accessible to students with disabilities, to raising thousands of dollars for charity and even hitting the campaign trail with Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser, Emmy says her goal is to pave the way for other people like her.
On Friday, the road she paved will lead her to Galatoire’s, where a second line will celebrate her contributions to the community.
So what’s ahead for Emmy? When she graduates high school, she plans to go to law school and become a disability rights lawyer, because being different never stopped Emmy, and she doesn’t want it to stop anyone else.
“If you want to be something, then go for it. If you want to be a pageant queen or anything, put yourself out there,” Rabalais said.
Emmy’s second line will start at Galatoire’s at 3 p.m.
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