WESTBROOK – It’s hard to imagine a better spokesperson for disability awareness than Leelee Prince Miliano.

She suffers from central core disease, a form of muscular dystrophy, which leaves her confined to a wheelchair. But she is determined to retain both a positive outlook on life, and make sure she and others like her are treated with dignity and respect.

On Saturday, she was crowned Ms. Wheelchair Maine, which will give her the chance to spread that message statewide.

“I’ve always wanted to be an advocate for the disabled, and this is a dream come true,” she said.

Miliano, 46, who lives in Westbrook with her fiance, was born in Hartford, Conn., and was raised in Boothbay and Portland. She has had her condition for most of her life, which doesn’t prevent her from walking, but being on her feet is extremely tiring and painful.

“God bless the person who invented wheelchairs,” she said.

Miliano says no one in her family ever treated her any differently, but not everyone has been so understanding. In sixth grade, Miliano said, she went on a date with a classmate who had spinal bifida, a birth defect that left him confined to a wheelchair, too.

“The word went around the grapevine that we were the perfect couple, because we were both handicapped,” she said.

Miliano was not sure if the comments were meant to be mean-spirited, but the talk was “irritating,” and served as one of the first examples she can remember of being treated differently because of her disability.

Through the years, she has noticed other examples, like in the mall, when parents pull their children out from in front of her, leaving Miliano to wonder if they think she’s constantly on the verge of running people over, she said.

“People see you coming and they get out of your way as fast as they can,” she said.

But Miliano said it doesn’t get her down. She is always trying to get people to see her first, and her disability second, like at a recent visit to the doctor’s office, where the secretary felt embarrassed after asking Miliano to have a seat. While some people may view such a statement as an awkward gaffe, Miliano said she wished more people said things like that.

“Yeah, I already have my own seat, but she treated me like everybody else,” she said. “That’s what I want to see and hear.”

It was sharing these experiences and interests that earned Miliano her title, according to Monica Quimby, state coordinator for the Ms. Wheelchair competition.

Despite what the name suggests, contestants are not judged on their looks, but on their ability to act as leaders and advocates for the disabled in Maine, Quimby said.

“It’s not a beauty pageant whatsoever,” she said.

This year, four contestants participated in the event, held at the Wyndham hotel in South Porland. Quimby said each contestant was required to meet one-on-one with members of a panel of judges for two 10-minute interviews. Then, they must give a speech on stage for up to two minutes on a subject of their choice, as long as it relates to disability advocacy. Finally, the contestants answered two questions on stage.

Quimby said the contestants are judged based on their communications skills and passion for the subject.

“Basically what’s being judged is personal presentation,” she said.

Miliano’s passion for the rights of the disabled stood out among the other contestants, Quimby said.

“She is completely effervescent in the way she speaks,” she said. “We definitely picked the right person for the job.”

Miliano is studying for a medical transcriptionsist degree right now in an online program from Penn Foster College, but in her spare time, her new title will be keeping her busy. Miliano will be meeting and speaking with various support groups throughout the state, and will also speak at the Special Olympics in Maine.

“There’s definitely a lot of events in her future,” Quimby said.

Miliano will also meet with legislators to discuss the needs of the disabled in Maine. In particular, Quimby said, Miliano will be an advocate for disability benefits as the state grapples with a multimillion-dollar shortfall in the Department of Health and Human Services.

“That is definitely a concern for us as well,” she said.

For now, Miliano said she is still in a state of shock that she won the title.

“I think it’s still sinking in,” she said.

Later this summer, Miliano will travel to Grand Rapids, Mich., to compete in the Ms. Wheelchair America event.

Regardless of whether she wins the national title, Miliano said she hopes to spread the message of equality, and encourage everyone, disabled or not, to regard everything they have in life as a gift.

“Don’t take for granted what you have. Life is too short,” she said.

Leelee Prince Miliano of Westbrook, Ms. Wheelchair Maine, will
be traveling the state as an advocate for the disabled. (Courtesy
photo)

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