Miss Maine Has COVID, Drops Out of Miss America Pageant

Covid-19 marches on here in Maine and now it's even left one of our finer representatives in its wake.

Mariah Larocque, our current Miss Maine, has suddenly dropped out of the 2022 Miss America Pageant after testing positive for COVID-19. Ms. Laroque was due to participate in the pageant all this week at Mohegan Sun Resort in Connecticut.

The fully vaccinated Portland resident and recent graduate of the University of Southern Maine said via the Miss Maine Scholarship Program Facebook page, "My world has been turned upside down in a matter of hours. I feel like I’m trapped in the most terrible nightmare, one I would never wish on anyone. Unfortunately, it’s my living reality. I am beyond devastated and heartbroken."

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Ms. Larocque initially tested negative when she arrived this past weekend at the Mohegan Sun Resort in Connecticut, but later tested positive and is now in isolation for a ten-day period.

Mariah Larocque of Portland was crowned Miss Maine 2021 this past June 19th at the Freeport Performing Arts Center in Freeport.

While Ms. Larocque is no longer in the 100th Miss America Pageant she still is eligible to win the America's Choice category and the $10,000 scholarship that goes along with it, according to a recent Facebook post at Miss Maine Scholarship Program.

If Ms. Larocque does indeed win the scholarship she tells us that she would use the cash to pursue a Master's Degree and continue her desire to be a director, producer, screenwriter, and actress.