Hamdia Ahmed, far left, smiles at her family off stage after the first night of the Miss Maine USA pageant. Her mother, sister and four nieces came both nights to cheer her on.

Hamdia Ahmed, far left, and her family walk into their house after a trip to the grocery store for snacks before heading down to the pageant.

PORTLA Helena Higgins, right, a contestant from Belfast, watches Hamdia Ahmed practice her pageant walk in the hallway and offers her tips. Higgins, familiar with Ahmed's backstory, told her before going out on stage, "After all you've been through, you've got this."

Hamdia Ahmed, far right, packs her suitcase at her home as she talks with, from left, her nieces Muno, 10, and Naimo, 12, her older sister Arianna, and her niece, Zaytuun, 5, before leaving to compete in the pageant.

Hamdia Ahmed rests on a couch in a hallway at the Holiday Inn before practicing the opening night number with the contestants in her group.

Hamdia Ahmed's niece ZamZam, 2, tries on Ahmed's pageant heels before practicing the pageant walk with her aunt.

Hamdia Ahmed adjusts the strap on her high heel while standing in a line of contestants moments before walking out on to the stage.

Brooke Harris, Miss Maine USA 2017, helps Hamdia Ahmed practice her poses before the first night of the pageant.

Hamdia Ahmed calls her mom in the bathroom during a break in rehearsals the second day of the pageant.

Hamdia Ahmed takes a moment to rest after putting on her makeup while Miss Teen USA contestants Rileigh Jones, center, and Adrianna Knight, right, finish getting ready in the mirror before the second night of the pageant.

Hamdia Ahmed puts her feet up after a 10 hour day in heels.

Mumina Ali, Hamdia Ahmed's mother, smiles as she watches her daughter on stage competing in the Miss Maine USA pageant.

Hamdia Ahmed, center, wears a burkini on stage during the swimsuit competion. Ahmed was the first Muslim woman to compete in a hijab and burkini.

Hamdia Ahmed's mother Mumina Ali, center, waits in the lobby of the Holiday Inn with her daughter and four granddaughters before watching Ahmed compete in the Miss Maine USA pageant.

Arianna Ahmed, Hamdia's older sister, holds up a sign the family made and brought to the second night of Miss Maine USA.

From left, Kaitlyn Beckwith, Hamdia Ahmed, Loraine Aceto and Lindsay Abrams, practice the opening number with their group before the first night of the Miss Maine USA pageant at the Holiday Inn.

Hamdia Ahmed leans down to give her niece Zaytuun, 5, a kiss as her family surrounds her to congratulate her at the end of the two-day pageant.

Hamdia Ahmed poses at the front of the stage during the evening gown portion of the Miss Maine USA pageant.