She lost 77 kilograms and became the oldest Miss USA contestant

Five years ago, Amber Uhler weighed about 136 kilograms and could not imagine standing on the Miss USA stage. A doctor told the mother of three that she had morbid obesity and prediabetes, and warned that she might not live to see her children finish high school.

The warning became more vivid when Uhler got stuck in a foam-filled pool while playing with her children at a trampoline park. Three strong men formed a human chain to pull her out, but they could not free her and considered calling firefighters. “I realized that losing the weight would be hard, but living with it was just as hard,” she told PEOPLE.

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It was the wake-up call I needed.

Uhler did not initially set out to lose 77 kilograms. She said that goal felt like climbing Mount Everest. Instead, she focused on becoming healthier and living fully, while promising herself that she would enter a beauty pageant once she had made enough progress.

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I realized that losing the weight would be hard, but living with it was just as hard.

After more than three and a half years of changes to her lifestyle, diet and exercise, she lost 77 kilograms. In 2024, she won the Mrs. Florida Universe title and then represented Florida at Mrs. Universe USA, where she won the Mrs. Universe crown.

The Miss USA competition remained a personal ambition. After an open casting, Uhler was named Miss Michigan USA 2026 in July and qualified for the 75th Miss USA competition in Miami. At 41, she is the oldest contestant this year. She said younger contestants supported her rather than making her feel out of place. “I have wisdom, I have maturity and I know what this job requires,” Uhler said.

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I have wisdom, I have maturity and I know what this job requires.