BERKELEY HEIGHTS — Marianne Middlebrook of Berkeley Heights, recently crowned Ms. Wheelchair New Jersey 2025, will head to Michigan next month to compete for the national title of Ms. Wheelchair America.

Born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), Middlebrook has used a wheelchair her entire life. Although entering the competition was initially outside her comfort zone, she ultimately embraced the opportunity, recognizing that it aligned perfectly with her lifelong mission to advocate for the disability community.

“I never imagined I’d be in this position,” Middlebrook said in a recent interview. “I actually applied on a whim last fall after seeing a post on Facebook. I mentioned it to my parents, and they encouraged me to go for it. The competition process was really interesting — it broug

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