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Miss USA Winner Erin Brady: "I Can't Believe It"

"They're gonna be very disappointed when I don't show up for work tomorrow," she joked to E! News' Giuliana Rancic

By Bruna Nessif Jun 18, 2013 1:30 AMTags
Watch: Get to Know Miss USA Erin Brady

Erin Brady's life changed last night.

The 25-year-old former Miss Connecticut was named Miss USA and, although she lived it, Brady told E! News cohost Giuliana Rancic (who also cohosted the pageant with Nick Jonas) after winning the crown: "I can't believe it."

She admitted that when it came down to the wire, Erin didn't think that her name would be called. "Honestly, I thought it was going to be [Miss] Alabama," she said. "Truthfully, from my heart. I was shaking and I thought, 'It could be me, but it could be her…'"

Brady also joked, "It has not [sunk in]. I don't think it will for the next week, but my work is gonna know. They're gonna be very disappointed when I don't show up for work tomorrow."

So what did the pageant winner, who works in accounting, have in store after receiving the new title?

"I think tonight I'm just gonna be bombarded with a bunch of press conferences and reporters and pictures and kind of trying to soak it in," she told us after the show. "Tomorrow I take off to New York to start my adventure as Miss USA."

Make sure to tune in to E! News weeknights at 7 p.m. & 11:30 p.m.

PHOTOS: A look back at all the 2013 Miss USA contestants