It was a surreal night in Windsor, Ont., as Lethbridge’s Jamie VandenBerg was crowned Miss Universe Canada 2025.
The 28-year-old international model and actress will represent Canada at the Miss Universe competition in Thailand this November.
“When you experience things that are so surreal, it doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad, your body goes back into that fight, flight or freeze sometimes. For me, it just puts me back into this box of, ‘Oh, it’s so incredible that it can’t be real,’” she said.
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VandenBerg’s crown was placed by Ashley Callingbull, the first Indigenous Miss Canada and a longtime pageant icon. Having admired Callingbull for years, VandenBerg says the moment felt like a dream.
Her journey to the crown began more than a decade ago and included years of training, competing, and fundraising.
Behind the glamour is a survivor’s story. While modelling abroad, VandenBerg narrowly escaped a violent abduction and point-blank shooting a moment that changed her perspective forever.
“If I have one last decision in my life to make, I’m going to make it protecting my own autonomy… I will never have the right amount of words to tell somebody, ‘Thank you for saving my life,’” she said.
Now, she’s using her platform to advocate for gender-based violence prevention and to inspire others to overcome life’s obstacles.
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