Contestant not letting Cerebral Palsy keep her from pageant

Published 9:03 am Friday, February 27, 2015

(KYTX) – A 20- year old North Texas woman will compete for this year’s title of Miss Texas, but she’s not competing just for the crown. She’s onstage to tell the world about her lifelong secret.

Jessica Zeller is on her way to the Miss Texas competition… and her very first pageant was only four months ago. “Nobody other than my family and friends knew I had cerebral palsy until I started competing,” Zeller said. “So, I came out so to speak when I started competing.”

Born a twin, Zeller had fluid on her brain and cerebral palsy. She has restricted use of the left side of her body, affecting her arm and ability to walk.

“She’s fortunate that it just affects her on her left side,” said her mother, Sandi Zeller. “But she never did learn to ride a bike or swim because she was afraid to try.”

But, inspired by her mom winning Miss Texas years ago, Zeller tried walking in heels and wearing makeup for the first time to take the stage to overcome everyone her fear.

“I was always embarrassed about my disability,” the now 20-year-old Jessica said. “I didn’t want people knowing because I was afraid they were going to treat me differently and my cases mild so nobody suspected. because nobody suspected I was just able to blend in the background and just be normal.”

Her mother said entering the pageant has changed everything.”There are lots of things that she’s not been able to do and I think now she realizes that she can.”

Jessica said she wants to send the message that CP doesn’t just stand for cerebral palsy, it stands for creating possibilities.

“I was having trouble dealing with that and not realizing that when I’m on stage that it’s going to be noticeable,” she said. “But I know that it’s hard my platform and I shouldn’t be ashamed of it or hide it because I’m trying to help people not be ashamed of their disability.”