It was a dream come true when 23-year-old Blair Griffith (pictured) won the Miss Colorado USA beauty pageant last November, but since then, her life has been a living nightmare.
The beauty queen, who graduated magna cum laude from the Art Institute of Colorado, has always been quietly encouraged by the voice of her father, who died when she was 14 years old. He constantly urged her to enter pageants, take up modeling and pursue her other artistic interests.
Instead of wallowing in sadness in the years after her father's death, she decided to follow his advice. Her first victory was winning the Miss Colorado Teen USA, but tragedy would strike again when her mother suffered a heart attack. Fortunately, she survived, and was there to see her daughter fulfill her dream of becoming Miss Colorado USA 2011.
Then tragedy struck yet again.
Last November, as a result of complications with her mother's health and major surgery, the family faced a series of financial setbacks. Her mother's worst fears came true when she and her daughter were evicted and became homeless.
Eventually, her mother's friend opened her house to them, and they picked up the pieces.
"I feel like these are just moments that are teaching me how to be a stronger person," said Griffith.
On Wednesday, though, the college graduate learned that she will soon be out of her job at Saks Fifth Avenue; the store will soon be closing.
"You did sit there and go, 'Oh, not again.' But at the same time, I do think that it's a test to see if you can handle it and what you can make out of your situation," Griffith told Channel 9 News.
Even with all of life's challenges, Griffith has managed to keep her eyes on the prize. She hopes to inspire people as she embarks on her next goal: competing in the Miss USA competition in June.
03-Feb-11 - Houston police got caught beating down 16-year-old robbery suspect Chad Holley last March, and now a Houston television station is letting the world see just how bad the beating was.
01-Feb-11 - The New York Daily News is reporting that a Brooklyn nun called police last week claiming she had been sexually assaulted by a 6'4", 250 pound black man who was around 40... no wait 50, yeah that's the ticket, he was 50 years old.
31-Jan-11 - Mr. "Take Dat" himself, Sean "Diddy" Combs, is upset with President Barack Obama, and he took his beef where most hip-hop artists do... straight to the Source.
31-Jan-11 - Valerie Joyce Wilson Turks recently filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Diddy for ... (wait for it) ... one trillion dollars!
28-Jan-11 - In his first interview since the sexual misconduct allegations were levied against him, Bishop Eddie Long spoke to Channel 2 News in Atlanta.
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