Since her Miss Universe crowning earlier this year, she has become an instantly recognisable face.
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But to the Filipino community of the Riverina, Catriona Gray was the “sweet smiling toddler” born in 1994 to “beautiful parents”.
The internationally acclaimed model and TV host lived one year of her life in Junee while her father, Ian Gray worked at the Junee railway.
Her mother, Normita, even became a naturalised citizen in Wagga in 1995.
Still residing in Wagga, Meriam Candia Linsell, remembers the family living nearby.
“I knew Normita quite well, we were good friends. She was friends with all of the Filipino families in Wagga, because at the time there weren’t many,” said Ms Linsell.
“I knew Catriona too, but she was just a baby, just a one-year-old.”
When the Gray family moved away from the Riverina, they lost contact with each other.
“We never would have guessed that we’d see her on TV as Miss Universe. No-one would have known, probably not even [her parents],” she said.
“We lost contact until we saw her as Miss Universe.”
The sight made Ms Linsell swirl a double-take, calling around to those friends who may remember the family to corroborate what she was seeing.
“I was just so happy to see she’s done so well. I’m so happy for her and her parents,” said Ms Linsell.
“I [dug through] my photo albums to find them again.
“She was here in my house once, it feels great to have known them for a while.
“I’m not sure how I would contact them again, but I’d like to congratulate them and share those memories we made.”