Growing up, Heidi Stephens had a passion for pageantry while at North Kitsap High School and began participating in competitions through her early 20s.

After taking a hiatus from pageantry during her career as an emergency room nurse, she has since found time again to compete and that paid off as she was crowned Mrs. American in August.

“It all happened so fast, it almost felt like I didn’t have a minute to process what was happening,” she said recently. “I truly felt shocked, it was one of those surreal moments.”

Stephens, 37, initially became interested in pageantry in high school after a friend told her she could earn a scholarship to help pay for college.

“That really piqued my interest,” Stephens said. “The idea of doing a pageant and performing a talent was really intriguing to me. I fell in love with having a personal goal.”

Stephens competed in her first pageantry at age 17, and it would soon become a big part of her life. She was named Miss Poulsbo in 2009, and even competed in the Miss America competition in her early 20s. But she didn’t do much after that as she became a nurse and too old to be Miss America.

“I kind of just wrote off that dream,” she said. “In my mind, I had always wanted to be Miss America. I sort of moved away from pageantry altogether.”

Fast forwarding to today, Stephens recently left her job as a nurse due to burnout and the high demands of traveling across the water. So, she now has the time to pursue other passions.

She heard about the Mrs. American competition on Instagram while boarding a flight, and was impressed with the platform the organization uses to fight for issues that are important to each pageant winner.

Stephens thought about it during her flight, and ended up breaking the news to her husband Jeff upon arrival.

“I didn’t know that ‘Mrs.’ pageants were a thing,” she said. “I had never heard of a married women pageant before until last year. He (Jeff) thought I was crazy, but here we are!”

One of her biggest priorities as Mrs. American is to speak with veterans nationwide as she spent years helping them as a nurse. She also wants to advocate for living healthy lifestyles, noting that half of U.S. deaths come from preventable diseases. Stephens will also be required to travel as Mrs. American, but she said the organization works with families on what schedule is best for them.

The journey started with Stephens winning Mrs. Bainbridge Island, where she now resides, before winning the title of Mrs. Washington in May. She ended up becoming the first Kitsap County woman to hold the title of Mrs. American, winning the competition Aug. 27 in Las Vegas.

The comeback story almost didn’t happen as Stephens suffered from a facial infection a week before the competition. She credits her husband for helping her push through. “He’s been instrumental in supporting me emotionally through this whole process,” she said. “I didn’t look at all like myself. I had to have this minor surgery on three out of four of my eyelids. He said ‘Heidi, you are so much more than a pretty face. That’s why I love you. And that’s what you have to show them.’”

Married women 18 and older can partake in the competition, Stephens noting that women in their 60s and 70s competed. Participants also have to be a U.S. citizen. Following the competition, Stephens asked one of the judges what gave her the edge and was told it was due to her infectious energy on stage.

“She said she felt like she could spend a whole day with me,” Stephens said of the judge. “I think pageantry is changing; the judges are looking for authenticity; they’re not looking for the perfect girl. I’m here for that. I like that.”

The formal process of the competition starts with being interviewed by five separate judges. Then there’s the swimsuit fitness portion, which involves “walking in heels in a swimsuit,” Stephens said. The contestants are then narrowed down to six and have to answer an on-stage question. Finally, the field is narrowed to three, and the finalists have to answer another on-stage question.

“Any woman could have won,” Stephens said humbly. “I’ve lost many pageants in my life.”

The pageantry duties have just begun for Stephens. Up next is the Mrs. World competition in Las Vegas in January. “It’s an opportunity of a lifetime that I get to relive twice now,” she said.