(PRINTWORDS NEWS)Â Leona Gage, who became Miss USA in 1957Â for one day, has died at the age of 71 on Tuesday. Her death as told by her son happened due to heart failure. Leona Gage was the center of a major scandal in 1957 when she won the title of Miss USA, only to have the title taken away from her the next day. Pageant officials discovered that she had lied about her marital status and was the mother of two children. Moreover, she had concealed her real age and reported it be 21 while actually being 18 years old at that time. She is said to have told the reporters after the competition that she is single and plans to stay so until the age of 26.
Leona Gage while speaking about the scandal later, said that she was glad that its over. She had not expected to win and had only entered the contest as she needed money. She was reportedly delighted to have won the title, even if it was for one day. As for the lies Leona Gage said that she was used to having secrets. Her first pregnancy was concealed by her from her baptist mother for as long as possible. Though she lost her title, it made her famous and brought her many opportunities. She made numerous appearances on shows, including the Ed Sullivan Show.
Her ambition to make it as an actress was not very fruitful. She faced many difficulties in the later half of her life, that included six failed marriages, the lost custody of her five children, drug abuse and suicide attempts. Her son Robert Kaminer said that she was proud to see her five children become successful in their lives. She has been survived by three children as two of them died before her.
