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I think what really brought me back was realizing that I had so much more to offer now than I did at 18. Back then, I was a young girl with a dream of wearing the crown. Returning in my thirties, I was a woman with life experience, a clearer sense of who I was and a genuine desire to use the opportunity to make a difference. I also wanted to prove to myself that dreams don’t come with an expiration date. Just because you take a different path in life doesn’t mean you can’t return to something you once loved. ML: You returned to the stage only months after fracturing your back in three places in a snowboarding accident. How did that experience shape your comeback? Joëlle Krinickas: It completely changed my perspective on what I was capable of. In March 2025, I fractured my L2, L3 and L4 transverse processes in my spine in a snowboarding accident. Suddenly, things I had always taken for granted, like being active and having the freedom to do the sports I love, weren’t so straightforward anymore. I’ve always been someone who loves adventure and pushing myself physically, so having to slow down was incredibly difficult. When I decided to return to Galaxy, I had very little time to prepare and was still recovering from my injuries. I went into that competition not knowing what to expect. I certainly wasn’t at the level of physical preparation I would have liked, but I refused to let that stop me from trying. Walking onto that international stage and ultimately placing first runner-up was such a proud moment, not just because of the result, but because I knew what it had taken to get there. That experience taught me that strength isn’t always about what your body can physically do. Sometimes it’s about having the courage to show up, even when the circumstances aren’t perfect. ML: What do the Galaxy organization and the Mrs. Galaxy International title represent to you personally? Joëlle Krinickas: Galaxy will always hold a very special place in my heart because it’s where my dream began at 18 for the international title with Galaxy and 14 years later, it’s where I returned to pursue that same dream. What I love about Galaxy is that it celebrates women for so much more than their appearance. It recognizes ambition, individuality, community involvement and the different experiences that make each woman who she is. Being crowned Mrs. Galaxy International was an incredibly emotional moment for me. It represented years of personal growth, challenges, determination and a dream I had carried with me for more than a decade. But what makes the title truly special is what I get to do with it. During my time as Mrs. North America Galaxy, I discovered just how much opportunity a crown can create when you use it to connect with people, support causes and encourage others to get involved. Now, as Mrs. Galaxy International, I have the privilege of taking that work even further, representing an organization I genuinely love on an international level and hopefully encouraging other women to pursue their own dreams, whatever stage of life they’re at. For me, the crown isn’t the end goal. It’s an opportunity to do something meaningful.