Miss USA Savannah Gankiewicz says she has received death threats and hateful messages since winning, following Noelia Voight’s shocking resignation and allegations against the pageant’s CEO.
During her speech, Ms Gankiewicz, 28, said she was “heartbroken” by the backlash she had received.
“Since winning this title I have faced a lot of bullying and harassment. It really hurts my heart,” an emotional Gankiewicz said. Videos shared on X last week.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to cry but it hurts because I want everyone to know where my heart comes from,” she said, wiping away tears. “This is not only helping the residents of Lahaina and Maui, but showing young women that even if they’re bullied or hurt, they can still stand up and keep going and keep speaking up.”
Gankiewicz was crowned Miss USA 2023 earlier this month at a special coronation ceremony and gala in Waikiki, replacing former Miss USA Noelia Voight, who announced her retirement on May 6.
Voight, 24, said in a statement on Instagram that she was giving up the title to focus on her mental health, but days later NBC News obtained a copy of her resignation letter, in which she accused the pageant’s CEO of creating a toxic work environment and failing to address a sexual harassment allegation she filed.
“There is a toxic work environment within the Miss USA organization that is poorly managed at best and bullying and harassment at worst,” Voight wrote. “This began immediately after she won the title of Miss USA 2023.”
Voight accused Miss USA CEO and president Layla Rose of consistently failing to communicate, badmouthing her to others in the organization and threatening to take away Voight’s pay over “matters that were never discussed with me.”
The letter also said that after Voight told Rose that a man had made inappropriate comments to her at the Florida event, Rose responded by saying, “We cannot prevent people from saying things to you in public. Unfortunately, that is part of your role as a public figure.”
Rose released a statement saying she takes the allegations seriously and that “the well-being of everyone associated with Miss USA is my top priority.”
Voight’s resignation was followed by the resignations of Miss Teen USA, 17-year-old Umasofia Srivastava, and Miss USA social media manager Claudia Michelle.
After accepting her crown, Gankiewicz told Hawaii News Now she empathized with the former titleholders and believed “this was the right decision for my community and my state.”
Gankiewicz will hold the title until August, when the next pageant will select a new Miss USA.
