The story of JonBenet Ramsey has continued to echo across decades, shaping the way Americans remember the world of child beauty pageants and the young lives that once lit up its stages.

Today, JonBenet is remembered as a radiant girl whose talent and charm captured attention wherever she went.

However, her tragic death also casts a long shadow over an entire generation of children who once stood beside her in competitions, sharing the same stage, the same spotlight, and the same dreams.

Two decades after her death, the girls who grew up competing with JonBenet look back on those moments with a mixture of affection, grief, and reflection.

They belonged to the class of JonBenet, a group of young pageant contestants whose lives briefly intersected with that of the famed six year old.

Though they have gone on to build lives of their own, many still carry a quiet awareness that they will always be associated with the mystery and sadness surrounding her passing.

One of those girls is Thumper Gney, who competed alongside JonBenet for the Little Miss Sunburst title in 1996.

A treasured photograph shows the two of them side by side onstage during that competition.

Thumper is positioned to the left, and another image from the same event shows JonBenet, the small girl holding a hula hoop, performing joyfully before the audience.

Although they were contestants, the girls did not see each other as rivals.

During the breaks in the competition, they would slip away from the busy environment to play together like ordinary children.

Thumper recalls one moment when her mother realized she had not seen her daughter for twenty to thirty minutes.

When she finally found her, she discovered her casually playing with JonBenet, both of them surrounded by toys and happily lost in their own imaginative world.

Thumper remembers laughing about how itchy their costumes were, a detail that reminds her of the innocence and simplicity of those shared experiences.

Another girl from that era, Brandy Vee, still keeps a small collection of her pageant items and memories.

She once performed in the same dance troupe as JonBenet and even took a photograph with her at a Christmas party held only one week before the tragedy occurred.

Brandy explains that as a child, hearing that something awful had happened to a girl she knew, and not being given any clear answers, created a confusion and sadness that stayed with her for years.

When she looks back, she remembers the brightness and energy JonBenet brought into any room.

She remembers how the adults around her struggled to make sense of the terrible news while the children tried to understand something far beyond their years.

Another former contestant, Brienne Grio, also shares her memories of that time.

Both she and JonBenet once wore the title of Little Miss Colorado, a role that brought them together in celebration rather than competition.

Brienne remembers JonBenet as a child with a glowing spirit, someone who exuded kindness and joy, and someone who seemed to light up every place she entered.

She recalls how JonBenet loved performing and how eager she always seemed to share laughter with the other children.

Those small moments of connection have lasted in Brienne’s memory, becoming part of the story she still carries today.

For these women, the death of JonBenet created a dark cloud that hung over the pageant world for a long time.

Many people outside the community began to view pageants as strange or troubling, and the children who had once loved the competitions suddenly felt judged or misunderstood.

Brandy remembers how pageants had once been a major part of her childhood identity, but after the tragedy, she felt reluctant to continue participating.

There was, she explains, a new stigma attached to the pageant world, one that made families feel cautious and uneasy.

For some, the joy of competition had been overshadowed by a sense of fear, suspicion, and public scrutiny.

As adults, these women have moved on and built meaningful careers that reflect their personalities and passions.

Brandy became a kindergarten teacher, dedicating herself to supporting and guiding young children as they take their first steps into the world of learning.

She explains that working with children has given her a renewed appreciation for innocence and vulnerability, two qualities she recognizes all too clearly when she thinks back to JonBenet and the other young competitors.

Thumper became a hairstylist, a career that allows her to express creativity and connect with people from all walks of life.

She enjoys helping clients find confidence in their appearance, and she often reflects on how self expression, appearance, and identity shaped her own childhood through the pageant world.

Although she no longer competes, she says that the discipline, performance skills, and friendships she gained from her pageant years still influence her today.

Brienne became a middle school history teacher, a profession that fits naturally with her lifelong fascination with the past.

She now uses her own experiences to ignite curiosity in her students.

Her body is covered with history themed tattoos, each representing events, people, or ideas that shaped the world.

She says the tattoos spark conversations with her students, making history feel alive and relatable.

Many of her students enjoy asking about the artwork on her skin and learning the stories behind each image.

Through teaching, she honors the importance of memory, context, and understanding the connections between past and present.

When people look at these women today, they cannot help but wonder what JonBenet Ramsey might have become had she lived.

Her former peers often think about how differently her life could have unfolded and how bright her future might have been.

Thumper shares that she sometimes dreamed of JonBenet as a grown woman.

In her dreams, JonBenet was full of joy, radiance, and energy, embracing life with the same spark she had onstage as a child.

She imagines JonBenet laughing, working toward her goals, and stepping confidently into adulthood.

Brandy reflects on how the realization of JonBenet’s absence became more profound when she reached college.

As she navigated her own education, friendships, and discovery of adulthood, she often thought about how JonBenet would have experienced similar milestones.

She imagines JonBenet thriving in a college environment, meeting new people, exploring academic interests, and making memories that last a lifetime.

She believes JonBenet would have been a smart and enthusiastic student, someone who embraced learning with genuine excitement.

Brienne envisions JonBenet as a woman who would have stayed true to the vibrant personality she displayed as a child.

She believes that JonBenet would have grown into a confident and expressive adult, someone who carried her childhood playfulness into maturity.

She imagines JonBenet choosing a path filled with creativity, joy, and adventure.

Together, these women reflect on what it means to remember someone whose life ended far too soon.

They understand that JonBenet’s story is often told through tragedy, but they also carry memories of her laughter, her kindness, and the simple moments of childhood they once shared.

Their voices offer a more personal and human perspective, one grounded in real interactions rather than distant speculation.

They remind the world that JonBenet was not only a symbol of a mystery but also a child who loved to play, perform, and make friends.

In remembering her, these former pageant contestants also reflect on their own journeys.

They think about how far they have come and how the events of their childhood still echo in the present.

Their stories highlight both the resilience of the human spirit and the lasting impact of shared experiences.

They show how memories can shape identity, guide choices, and create a sense of continuity across years and decades.

Although JonBenet is no longer here to grow, learn, or celebrate milestones, the girls who once knew her carry forward her memory with tenderness and authenticity.

They imagine the woman she might have become and honor the child she once was.

Through teaching, styling, caregiving, learning, and simply living, they continue to reflect the spark that JonBenet brought into their lives.

Her light, though extinguished far too early, still shines through their stories, their memories, and the lives they have built.

They stand as living reminders of a time when they were all just children sharing a stage, sharing dreams, and sharing small moments that would later grow into lifelong reflections.

They remind us that behind every headline is a human story, and behind every tragedy is a world of memories that deserve to be told with care, compassion, and respect.

In honoring JonBenet, they also honor their younger selves, carrying forward the lessons, hopes, and dreams that shaped them into the women they are today.