PARSIPPANY – “..And Miss Teen USA 2023 is….” Those words seemed to hang in the air forever among the bright lights of the Grand Sierra Resort’s grand ballroom and auditorium in Reno, Nevada, that September evening in 2023 as Barbara and I held hands and closed our eyes… “Miss Teen New Jersey, UmaSofia Srivastava”! Time seemed to stop, and then there was sheer pandemonium. The music, cheers, and chaos in the auditorium ensued around us as we instinctively stood up and looked up at the jumbotron, part in disbelief, joy part… there she was, our daughter, with tears flowing down her beautiful face, the Hope crown being placed on her head with a gaggle of young women obscuring her from our view. Here she came, so close but yet so far, larger than life on the big screen among the din, the Miss Teen USA sash around her, walking down centerstage. Everything else is a blur of TV cameras, bright lights, and confetti,” said Sanjay Srivastava.