Betty Cantrell shakes off 'bad luck' with Miss America win

Just seconds before being crowned Miss America, Betty Cantrell told host Chris Harrison how she was doing.

“I’m having bad luck with my earrings tonight,” Cantrell said. “One fell off just now and one in ‘Top 15.’ I don’t know what that means.”

“That’s good luck,” Harrison prophetically told her. “It’s gotten you this far.”

When calling Cantrell's name as one of only 15 women who would compete Sunday night in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Harrison proclaimed her as “Lucky No. 13” and she appeared to slip during the evening gown competition.

Being No. 13 was more likely a positive omen for her family.

Cantrell’s father, Mike Cantrell, achieved notoriety as a fitness guru when launching the “It starts with the heart” campaign years ago on channel 13.

Her aunt, Dodie Cantrell Bickley, who was the television station’s general manager and news director, was in the audience to cheer on her niece.

Rodney Johnson, executive director for the Miss Warner Robins Pageant, also was seated in the "Betty" section of Boardwalk Hall.

“She had a good cheering section,” Johnson said. “There were members of the Miss Warner Robins board, Miss Georgia board, people from the Cantrell Center, some of her friends.”

Last year, he cheered on Warner Robins Miss Outstanding Teen Olivia McMillan to win the national title.

“It was so surreal – it was amazing, it was amazing, Warner Robins back to back first with Olivia, then Betty,” said Johnson.

Warner Robins will reap the rewards of the pageant royalty, he said.

“Betty’s win brings a lot of recognition especially to young girls here in Warner Robins. Her winning tells them – the possibilities are strong, if you believe in yourself and want to work to achieve something, you can literally be Miss America.”

With adrenaline still pumping following her crowning, Cantrell gave her first interview as Miss America.

“I can’t believe it. I thought I blew my on-stage question. I don’t know what he asked me,” she said.

Social media was abuzz with Miss Georgia’s perceived fumble on whether New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady was guilty in the “Deflategate” scandal.

After asking singer Brett Eldredge to repeat the question, she vacillated a bit.

Cantrell said she needed to see and touch the footballs, but if there was any question of cheating, she declared Brady guilty and worthy of punishment.

“That’s not fair,” she said.

While breaking ground in a two-piece white gown with blue trim, possibly a nod to her Greek ancestry, Cantrell seemed to get her heel caught a couple times on the runway, but she shook it off with a shake of her head and went on to win the pageant.

“I thank God for this opportunity. I’m so excited to be your new Miss America,” an emotional Cantrell said.

She stopped and stooped down at the end of the runway to embrace her father and mother, Tassie Cantrell, who was jumping for joy with her hands in the air.

Their daughter advocates for 10 jumping jacks every 10 minutes of television watching, but an audience back home at the Cantrell Center in Warner Robins sprang from their seats when her name was called.

Following the pageant, Cantrell explained how she plans to use her new-found fame.

“Kids light up when they see a crown walk into the room,” she said from the Miss America podium. “Kids will listen to what I say about being healthy and exercising and having fun with it and not only being physically healthy but being emotionally healthy.”

In an interview following her preliminary talent win, Cantrell explained how she channeled the pain of her parents’ divorce into her opera performance that propelled her into pageant history in a flowing red, strapless gown.

Cantrell thanked her voice teachers both at Wesleyan College, where she began studying while in the eighth grade, and at Mercer University.

Georgia’s only other Miss America, the late Neva Jane Langley Fickling who was a classical pianist, also had strong ties to both Macon schools.

Cantrell will take a break in her studies at Mercer during her reign as Miss America and will have $50,000 in scholarships to further her training to fulfill her dream of performing on Broadway.

The Macon universities will likely benefit from the international attention focused on their famous student, who was a 2012 graduate of Mount De Sales Academy.

Friends from her high school alma mater have already been on social media: “Miss America is a Cavalier!”

Writer Alline Kent contributed to this report. To contact writer Liz Fabian, call 744-4303 and follow her on Twitter @liz_lines.

This story was originally published September 13, 2015 at 5:17 PM with the headline "Betty Cantrell shakes off 'bad luck' with Miss America win."