Lee-Lynn crowned Magnificent Women Icon
PAARL beauty queen Lee-Lynn Watson, who has Down syndrome, was crowned 2019/2020 Magnificent Women Icon (MWI) Phenomenal Miss Southern Africa at the weekend.
Although Watson, 24, won the beauty pageant a few weeks ago, she had to wait until Saturday night to be crowned by former Miss South Africa Amy Kleinhans at an event hosted by the Shumeez Scott Foundation at the Boschenmeer Golf Estate in Paarl.
The event was attended by Miss South Africa Tamaryn Green, said Watson’s mother, Rosalind Kouadio.
“I can’t tell you how I feel. If I think about the crowning, I cry. I feel I still can’t believe it’s true. I really didn’t think Lee-Lynn would be crowned.
“She was ecstatic when she saw Amy Kleinhans and Tamaryn Green, because she knows all the celebrities, and because she works her tablet better than I can. The event made my family ecstatic,” said Kouadio.
Nearly 300 people, including the entire Paarl municipality mayoral committee – except for the mayor, who was in hospital – attended the crowning, said Kouadio.
Watson grew up in Paarl and attended the area’s Ligstraal School for people with disabilities and the Gymnasium Primary School in Paarl.
Mitchells Plain director of the Shumeez Scott Foundation and South Africa and Southern Africa MWI director Bahia Janodien said the event had been “amazing”.
“We want to break down the Down syndrome stigma in Paarl. That was one of the reasons why we hosted the event there. It was a great victory for special needs children and adults.”
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