Miss USA 2024 credits family values for ‘surreal’ win following pageant’s controversial year

Miss USA 2024 crowned their winner, after a year filled with the shocking resignation of the previous title winners for both Miss USA and Miss Teen USA.

Backstage, she told Fox News Digital the win felt "surreal," saying, "I just remember being a little girl and watching that moment over and over every year, for one lucky woman each year, and to know that I was one of those people standing there was already a dream come true. But then to win, I just, I can't even believe it." "I just thought about my family and the values I was raised on growing up and how much that meant to me." 

During the question portion, Cooper recalled, "I just thought about my family and the values I was raised on growing up and how much that meant to me. And all of the time it took to even get to this point, I'm so grateful. I can't express enough gratitude for this moment, for the people that have uplifted me in times when I've been in valleys, and to be this mountain alongside so many other incredible women, this is incredible."