Jacquelyn Mayer Biography

Jacquelyn Jeanne "Jackie" Mayer (born August 20, 1942 in Sandusky, Ohio) is a former Miss Ohio 1962 and Miss America 1963 and currently travels the United States as a motivational speaker, noted for her recovery from a near-fatal stroke suffered at age 28.

Professional career

Mayer graduated Sandusky High School in 1960, spending much of her senior year in Austria as an exchange student., and then attended Northwestern University where a friend encouraged her to enter the Miss America contest for the scholarship money offered to the winner. She was crowned Miss Ohio in 1962 which allowed her to enter the Miss America pageant that year. On September 8, 1962, in front of an audience of 30,000 at the Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall and watched by millions more across America, she was crowned Miss America for 1963.

In 1970, Mayer suffered a stroke in the early hours following a Thanksgiving evening with her family. She was rushed to the hospital and though surviving, spent the next seven years in rehabilitation needing to re-learn such simple tasks as the alphabet and basic motor functions. Thirty years later, having regained the ability to walk and speak, Mayer considers herself 90% recovered.

For over 20 years, Mayer has dedicated her life to assisting stroke survivors and their families. She speaks to dozens of schools, colleges and corporations each year. She has been a spokeswoman for the American heart Association, made educational films to raise stroke awareness, helped found the National Stroke Association, and has appeared on Good Morning America and The Phil Donahue Show, and her story has been featured in magazines such as People and Family Circle.

Providence Hospital in Sandusky, now known as Firelands Regional Medical Center, features the Jackie Mayer Rehab & Skilled Nursing Center.

Awards and recognition

She is a member of the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997. In the spring of 2001, Jackie was awarded the first ever Honorary Doctorate Degree from Lourdes College in Sylvania, Ohio. The section of State Route 2 that runs through Erie County is named "Jackie Mayer Miss America Highway" in her honor.

Family

She has two children (now adults): Bill Townsend a technology entrepreneur"?cofounder of the Lycos search engine, and board member at Newegg.com and Amati Foundation, and Kelly Rostic, a former anchorwoman with NBC and Fox.