Texas Girl And Her Service Dog Win Miss Dallas Teen Pageant

When someone told 17-year-old Alison Appleby that she couldn't compete in beauty pageants because of her disability, the Texas teen committed to proving them wrong.

And that she did.

On October 9, Appleby participated in her first pageant, Miss Dallas Teen 2022. And with Brady, her service dog in training, by her side, it was she who took home the crown.

Appleby, who lives in Sherman, was diagnosed with epilepsy two years ago. Brady—who also got a crown—assists by alerting her to oncoming seizures.

Speaking with Fox News, Appleby described her win as a "shock."

"I had never done one before," she said. "I bought my dresses three days before the pageant, so I had no idea what I was getting into."

Ultimately it was her pageant interview that set her apart from the other contestants.

"One of the things that got them, that made them stop writing and look at me, like 'did you really just say that?' and something I tell a lot of people, is just because I have a chronic illness, doesn't mean I'm chronically ill," Appleby told KTEN.

Appleby and Brady plan to compete in the Miss Texas pageant in May. She said she hopes to inspire others with disabilities to aim high.

"I've always dreamed of being a pageant girl, but it just never seemed like I could do it," Appleby told Fox news. "The judges didn't let my disability change how they saw me — they judged me as a person."