Back in 2013, The WARM Place received an email from a local pageant titleholder wanting to know more about The WARM Place and ways she could help. After Michelle sat in our living room and shared her personal story of loss, none of us had any doubt that her heart would stay connected here.
At 16, Michelle became an orphan when her parents died unexpectedly within 4 months and week of each other. She planned two funerals, and boxed up her life twice by the time she was 17. With no family to care for her, and no life savings to fall back on, Michelle pushed through her grief as much as she could and went on to graduate high school with honors in ancient Latin. She put herself through private college at Dallas Baptist University, graduating in 3 years, and is currently working on her master of professional development with a focus in communications.
Michelle is a published writer, speaking often of her own experiences of grief and loss. Most recently, Michelle’s article “A Fatherless Father’s Day” was published by The Huffington Post and has received international acclaim for it’s stark honesty and moving testimony of grief. Michelle has served for us multiple times, attending A Cool Night last year and helping raise funds and awareness. She also brought her crown and sash along as Miss Arlington 2013 to Pirate Day and brought plenty of smiles to the kids- pirate and princess alike. Michelle went on to place as 2nd runner up in the Miss Texas Pageant in 2013 and took our story of healing at The WARM Place statewide as the 2nd place Quality of Life award winner.
We are thrilled to welcome Michelle to The WARM Place blogging family and look forward to many thought provoking and meaningful posts!
You can learn more about Michelle on her personal website at: www.CrowningMomentsBlog.wordpress.com
or read her articles on the Huffington Post at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelle-hanson/
-Shelley Spikes, Director of Events and Public Relations
