VIDEO: Maui’s Caroline Absalom Earns Top 3 Finish in Mrs. America

Maui’s own Caroline Absalom earned the 2nd Runner Up distinction in the Mrs. America pageant during a competition held in Las Vegas, Nevada on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015.  She finished in the top tier out of the 52 contestants competing in the national pageant after qualifying by taking the Mrs. Hawaiʻi title during a statewide competition held in May.

In an exclusive interview Absalom said, “I just wanted to represent Hawaiʻi well, and in the end, when it was just down to the final three–the two power house southern states of Alabama and Texas, and then there’s little Hawaiʻi in there as well–I hear all the other girls screaming from back stage: go Hawaiʻi!”

Mrs Hawaiʻi, Caroline Absalom (center in red) finished in the top three at the national Mrs. America pageant. Photo credit: John Absalom.

“I want to raise awareness and be an advocate for survivors of domestic abuse.  That is something that I never really spoke about, but I realize that as Mrs. Hawaiʻi, I have a voice and I really should use it,” said Absalom during a post pageant telephone interview with Maui Now.

Absalom addressed the issue during the question and answer portion of the pageant saying, “If I were fortunate enough to be chosen Mrs. America, it is a title that I would take very seriously.”

She continued saying, “I want to be Mrs. America because I want to give back to this organization that gave me my voice.”

Caroline Absalom. Photo credit: Mrs. Hawai’i 2015 – Caroline Absalom Facebook page.

“I spoke to the judges about this earlier and I only just recently started sharing my story of domestic abuse.  I am a survivor, and my mother is not.  It is not at the hands of my father, I have to say; but I have been using the Mrs. Hawaiʻi sash as a microphone to give hope and inspiration to other women, that there is life, love and happiness out there after abuse.  If I were to be chosen as Mrs. America, I could bring that to the global scale with my Aloha Spirit, my heart of a community service individual and the heart of a business woman as well,” said Absalom.

Mrs. America was the first and remains the foremost competition for the married woman of the United States.  The Mrs. America website notes that for nearly four decades, the event has, “epitomized excellence, professionalism and the celebration of family values and is supported by an office and full time director in every US state and DC.”

The winner of the Mrs America Pageant represents the United States of America in the internationally televised Mrs. World Pageant.