OMAHA, Neb. — Two Omaha sisters are breaking multiple pageant records.
"If somebody's in on something, we're all in, we're all supporting and we've always been that way," mom Julie Swanson said.
So when the Swanson sisters, Megan and Allie, became interested in pageants the family was all for it.
Last weekend, Megan Swanson became Miss Nebraska USA. She will go on to compete in Miss USA later this year. But winning isn't necessarily something new for Megan. Six years ago she was Miss Nebraska and competed in the Miss America pageant. No one has ever won both titles from both major pageants - Miss Nebraska and Miss Nebraska USA.
"So in my adult life yes, those are the only two pageants I've ever done. I was a one and done both times and so it's wild. I can't believe we're here," Megan said.
You could say winning runs in the family.
"Isn't the statistic that you have a greater chance of having a son play in the Superbowl than you do of having a daughter go to Miss America? And we've been there twice," Julie said.
They've been to Miss America twice because just six months ago Megan's younger sister Allie also won Miss Nebraska.
"We're both really, really competitive so I love that my sister pushes me. In a lot of ways she's blazed the trail and then I followed in her footsteps," Allie said.
So now for six months as their titles overlap, for the first time ever your Miss Nebraska USA ans Miss Nebraska are both sisters.
"It's never happened that two sisters were the state title holders at the same time," dad Sean Swanson said.
The family can't believe both sisters have broken records and made history together.
"She is my best friend. We're 20 months apart and we've broken quite a few records which is just wild. We didn't necessarily set out to do this," Megan said.
They plan on using their titles to put Nebraska on the map and help as many people as possible. Allie is a strong advocate for social media safety and Megan owns a business that helps with women's empowerment called The Powerhouse Project. Together they want to inspire girls in Nebraska and beyond.
"So we have huge plans for what we want to do not only on a local and state level but also on a national level. And although we are two different organizations we really want to represent how two different organizations can come together in the pageant world," Megan said.
"Just watch out Nebraska because here the Swanson sisters come," Allie said.
