From Surviving 6 Heart Attacks to Promoting Cardiovascular Health: Meet the 28-Year-Old Pageant Queen Changing Miss America

Subscribe to CNN's Life, But Better newsletter for a weekly roundup on simplifying living well. Discover information and tools to enhance your well-being. At 16, Jude Maboné often went to bed wondering if she would wake up the next morning. After experiencing her first heart attack and five more by the age of 18, she was inspired to create a bucket list that included entering a pageant after watching the movie "Miss Congeniality."

During her high school years, Maboné spent every other week in the hospital, diagnosed with a surprising heart condition. Despite a healthy lifestyle and no family history of heart disease, she suffered multiple heart attacks while running. Embarrassed and isolated, she kept her struggle a secret from friends and teachers.

At 28 years old, Maboné won the 2023 Miss District of Columbia pageant and is now a contestant in this year's Miss America pageant, which will take place on January 14. The national title has not been held by a Miss District of Columbia for 80 years, and Maboné is determined to address the issue.

She leverages her position to further her advocacy for proactive heart health and preparedness for cardiac emergencies. This includes collaborating with the American Heart Association and other organizations to raise awareness about preemptive heart health, provide screenings to communities, and establish plans for the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in schools. AEDs are portable devices that can save lives by electronically shocking the heart to restore its normal rhythm during sudden cardiac arrest, as defined by the US Food and Drug Administration. "Most people don't survive one heart attack - I survived six," Maboné shared. "So I felt a sense of purpose and a responsibility to help others improve their situation."

A journey in persistence

Born in Southern California in 1995, Maboné was one of four children raised by her single mother, who served in the Navy.

Maboné poses for her Miss America pageant headshot.

Moshe Zusman/HeadshotDC

Maboné was an avid participant in competitive track and distance running, and it was during these activities that her heart problems became evident. On July 11, 2012, during the second half of a six-mile run, she began experiencing chest pains that quickly developed into profuse sweating, difficulty breathing, dizziness, nausea, and pain in her left shoulder.

Although Maboné had learned in health class that these were signs of an impending heart attack, she initially dismissed it due to her age and healthy lifestyle. However, she recognized the need for medical assistance and eventually took herself to the hospital.

Despite suffering subsequent heart attacks over the next two years, Maboné's heart health tests continued to return normal results. Some specialists reassured her that she was fine and that the attacks were flukes, but her primary physician urged her to seek other opinions.

At a small-town Native American beauty pageant, Maboné shared her doctor's diagnosis of her heart disease, stating that the potential causes could be hormonal or environmental, but not genetic. She expressed uncertainty about the future, saying it's inconclusive and could either improve or worsen over time.

Raising awareness of cardiovascular health cases, including those without clear causes like Maboné's own case, is a key focus of her platform. She is also advocating for increased funding for relevant medical research. "Heart disease kills more people than cancer," she explained, but in the US "it receives a very small percentage of funding from medical research organizations."

In 2023, the National Institutes of Health allocated $49.2 billion in funding. The Heart, Lung and Blood Institute received $4 billion, which is slightly over 8% of the total funding, while the institutes for allergy and infectious diseases and cancer received approximately 13% and 15% of the funding, respectively.

Maboné expressed that she is not the typical pageant contestant due to her lack of upbringing in the pageant world. Nonetheless, by 2021, she had contended for the title of Miss District of Columbia seven times. At 26, she found herself aging out of the Miss America system and grieving the loss of her dream. However, when the pageant underwent new leadership and announced a partnership with the American Heart Association as its national philanthropy, the age limit for contestants was raised to 28. As the nation discussed cardiovascular issues in young people after NFL athlete Damar Hamlin experienced cardiac arrest in January 2023, the importance of the new age limit became increasingly evident.

Maboné believed that everything was falling into place and decided to set aside her pride and try again. It seemed that the issue she had been addressing for years was finally being taken seriously by others. Instead of allowing her condition to hold her back, Maboné sought treatment, including beta blockers, and put in the effort to live a vibrant life that allows her to educate others. "I'm actually in better physical and cardiac shape now than I was before my heart attacks," Maboné stated. "You have to work hard to overcome it."

She wants other kids to have that same chance.

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Maboné speaks in the House of Representatives for the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's 75th Anniversary Congressional Reception in 2023.

Courtesy Jude Maboné

She strongly supports the introduction of automated external defibrillators in schools and the training of staff to use them. Thanks to Mabon's advocacy, proposed legislation for "cardiac emergency response plans" will soon be presented to the DC City Council for a hearing. This, combined with her focus on CPR, has the potential to save lives within minutes of a cardiac arrest, as stated by the FDA. Mabon believes that the lack of federal mandate for AEDs is a significant issue.

As Maboné prepares for the Miss America pageant, she is enthusiastic about representing the more than 121.5 million Americans living with cardiovascular disease, she stated.

If you experience symptoms of a heart attack, such as chest pain, pain in the arms or shoulders, or shortness of breath, take them seriously and promptly consult a doctor, Maboné advised. "Do not allow the doctor to dismiss it. There are many exceptional doctors," she emphasized, "but it is essential to advocate for yourself."

Maboné emphasized the importance of stress management, stressing that it is essential even if one is already focusing on maintaining a healthy diet, adequate sleep, and regular exercise. She also recommended learning hands-only CPR, noting that it is now the recommended form of treatment and can help save lives. "Miss America represents various things to different people," Maboné explained, "such as nostalgia, tradition, celebrity, and beauty."