‘Super fit and healthy’ beauty queen who suffered SIX heart attacks in 2 years shares hidden symptoms

WHEN Jude Mabone suffered six heart attacks, she knew if she survived she would want to achieve her dream.

And last June she fulfilled her dream of becoming a beauty queen – by being crowned Miss District of Columbia 2023.

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It was an incredibly proud moment for Jude, now 28, after facing death so many times.

She had sworn to herself that if she was going to die, she wanted to spend the rest of her time living an amazing life.

And on her wish list was to be a pageant queen.

“When I had my first heart attacks, I was ashamed of the stigma associated with it,” said Jude, who lives in Washington DC, USA.

“Heart disease is often associated with an unhealthy lifestyle, like smoking or drinking, and I didn’t do any of those things.

“I was very fit and loved running cross country.

“I was so embarrassed that for a while I didn’t tell anyone around me what was happening to me as I thought it would be seen as if I had done something wrong that was giving me these heart attacks.

“When I walked on stage after being crowned Miss America, it was a moment of extreme pride,

“And talking about heart attacks from being in the competition was very healing for me.

“I know now that there is nothing to be ashamed of.”

Jude was a fit 16-year-old running when she suffered her first heart attack in July 2012.

“I was in great shape,” she said.

“I started running six miles and after eight miles I suddenly felt pain in my chest.

“I thought it was because it was very hot and I hadn’t drunk enough water, but as it progressed, the situation became more and more serious.

“I felt pain in my shoulder and I also felt sick and dizzy.

“I was near my school when I stopped and called my mom and she took me to the nearest hospital.”

Doctors ran tests and said she had suffered a heart attack.

Jude, who has a boyfriend called Royce, 28, said: “I couldn’t believe it.

“I knew I had all the classic signs of a heart attack, but I couldn’t understand why I had one when I was young and fit, at 16.”

Over the next two years, Jude suffered five more heart attacks.

I thought if I was at the end of my life, I needed to make the most of it.

Jude Mabone

At first, doctors were perplexed about what caused this, but later discovered that she suffered from coronary vasospasm (CAS) – when the arteries in the heart suddenly constrict, causing spasms that can trigger a heart attack.

They said it was caused by exercise, which was devastating for her as she had always loved running.

“All my heart attacks happened when I was running, so for a while I had to stop while the doctors managed the problem with medication,” Jude said.

She has now learned to live with her condition and control it with beta-blockers, and has been able to run again.

She says she is in better physical shape now than before.

After her heart attacks, she began a bucket list that included visiting every state in America and every continent, as well as learning to sail and ride horses.

At the top of her list was becoming a beauty queen.

She said: “I thought if I was at the end of my life, I needed to make the most of it.”

She participated in the beauty contest seven times, but failed to win, being runner-up several times.

Then the age limit for the competition was raised and she decided to try again in June last year.

And this time, she managed to take the crown as Miss District of Columbia 2023.

She said: “It was such an emotional moment. And I see this opportunity to really change the way people view heart disease.

“It kills more people than cancer, but it only receives a small percentage of funding.

“I hope that as Miss America I can help improve heart health.”

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