Former Mrs. Sandy Oregon Has A Story To Tell

Heather Nguon has traded in her former Mrs. Sandy Oregon 2025 title for two new titles. She was recently named Miss Oregon Universal Elite, which parlayed into Miss Universal Model of the Year 2026.  

Winning two titles in the same year is a rare accomplishment. Nguon will travel to places and pose for pictures as part of the duties of the crown. She will embrace the tour knowing she has the perpetual support of her husband Jimmy and their three daughters.

The whole journey of the pageantry world has been a serendipitous experience for Nguon, and a necessary step in her personal growth. She has discovered a sisterhood with other contestants. The contestants are each other’s support and encouragement coaches. She gains strength and comfort from the other competitors.

Stepping out in front of judging eyes was as daunting as it sounds, especially wearing a bathing suit. She was only a newbie to the pageant world and had recently given birth to twin daughters. 

“I am a plus-sized girl with tattoos. I was scared to death to model my swimsuit!  I needed a push and I got it from a Regional Director named Tiffany from Mississippi.  She believed in me and gave me the confidence I needed,”said Nguon. 

Each competition is categorized into styles of clothing. Categories are evening wear, formal wear, and athletic wear. In Nguon’s pursuit of the 2026 crown achievements, she won the formal wear event. In the athletic wear competition she stunned, wearing a hot pink outfit (fun wear, as she described it) adorned with sequins.  

“I was a bit of a showgirl,” laughs Nguon.

Nguon’s ascension to the dual-crown was not without hardship.  She was born to young parents, both saddled with drug and alcohol addiction. After her parents split, she continued to live with her mother. Her mother made an unfortunate choice, partnering with an abusive boyfriend, leading to molestation and dysfunction at unprecedented levels. 

At the age of eight, Nguon became a foster child. From the age of 8 - 14, she bounced around in foster homes, surrounded by families more interested in the government stipend than being role models. Nguon describes one memory of a family that housed their own natural children with five foster children.

“At dinner time, the family ate upstairs at the table. They would serve chicken or something good, then feed us mac and cheese. And we had to stay downstairs. This is how it was,” admits Nguon.

At the age of 14, Nguon began living with maternal grandmother and attending Marshall High School. Her relationship with her grandmother came at a critical point in her development. The stable environment enabled her to grow from the hardships and thrive in a real home.  

While attending Marshall she met her best friend and future husband Jimmy. Though their lives were polar opposites, they didn’t want to be apart. Nguon proudly says, “I married my high school sweetheart!” They wed at the age of twenty and had their first child a year later. 

With miles of life securely behind her, Nguon has realized an important part of her journey is telling her story: both the bad parts and the good parts.  

When Nguon makes a public appearance, she speaks about her life and the things she learned along the way. She can sense her audience is both interested and a little shocked to learn of her travels.  

“I can’t fix what has happened in the past. These days I go where I am called and talk about my experiences. I have a story to tell and it needs to be heard,” said Nguon.

The Sandy Historical Museum is another passion of Nguon’s and she can be found there often. She plays an integral part in the Museum’s fund-raising efforts. 

Nguon’s husband jokingly tells her to ‘slow down’. She can’t. She has that story to tell.