Miss Montana Alexis Wineman will represent the first autistic entrant in the Miss America Competition when she takes her place on the stage Saturday night.
At 18, she also will be this year’s youngest competitor. Wineman told
FoxNews.com that she received her autism diagnosis when she was 11.
“For the longest time I just really wanted to know what was wrong with me,” she said. “When I was finally diagnosed, I felt like it came too late.” But she said she’s used to it now and her symptoms are “very mild. I try my best to overcome that. It’s a part of who I am.”
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