Father’s Fatal Heart Attack Motivates Miss Park Cities

Sarah Swift advocates for health education with children’s book

Sarah Swift began splitting her time between Colorado and Texas two years ago.

She had already found success in Colorado’s pageant circuit and even briefly held the Miss Colorado 2023 title after the reigning Miss Colorado advanced to become Miss America.

Now, as Miss Park Cities 2025, Swift is eager to use her platform to raise awareness about issues important to her and make a meaningful impact in her community.

Swift’s journey in pageantry began in fifth grade when she was inspired by meeting a former Miss Colorado.

Despite her accomplishments in Colorado, Swift was initially hesitant about competing in Texas. 

“I saw Miss Texas as almost kind of intimidating because it’s so big here, and the organization is so well established,” Swift said.

After encouragement from Miss Texas 2024, Annette Addo-Yobo, Swift decided to take the plunge. 

“I signed up pretty last minute, but I just had to trust my gut,” Swift said. “And then I won, which was crazy.”

Swift balances her role as Miss Park Cities with her studies at SMU, where she majors in fashion media and minors in advertising.

As Miss Park Cities, Swift’s focus is her advocacy campaign, Happy Hearts, which promotes heart health and aims to teach heart disease prevention in a fun and easy way.

Swift lost her father to a heart attack at just 6. Ever since, she has been acutely aware of her heart health, getting tested annually for potential risk factors.

“I think when a lot of people think about heart disease, they picture people that don’t live an active lifestyle, and they picture people that are older than them,” Swift said. “Kids aren’t really taught that everyone is essentially at risk for heart disease.”

In Colorado, she spoke to thousands of elementary students. In Texas, she’s hoping to expand her reach with a children’s book, Hank the Heart, which explains heart function in a kid-friendly way.

Two weeks after being crowned, Swift joined the 2024 Dallas Heart Walk, marking her seventh Heart Walk overall. She hopes to also participate in the Denver Heart Walk next year.

“I got to sit in on some legislative meetings talking about heart health and what steps Colorado was taking for heart care,” Swift said. “I’m interested to see and have a similar experience here in Texas.”

Swift hopes to deepen her relationship with the American Heart Association and attend many of the organization’s major events. The Todd Swift Memorial Fund she created in her father’s honor has raised more than $1,000 to support the AHA.

Eventually, she wants to turn Happy Hearts into a nonprofit.

“To anybody even considering competing for a local within the Miss Texas organization, I would say just do it,” Swift said. “Don’t be afraid of rejection; every rejection might just be a redirection for preparing you to become a better leader for the future.”