Miss USA Noelia Voigt resigns her title on mental health grounds

Noelia Voigt has resigned her Miss USA title less than a year after winning the competition.

The 24-year-old Venezuelan-American, from Utah, announced her resignation on Instagram on Wednesday.

She captioned the lengthy statement with: “I realize this may come as a large shock to many. Never compromise your physical and mental well-being. Our health is our wealth.

“A million thank you’s to all of you for your constant and unwavering support. Time to write the next chapter. I hope you’ll stick around to see what’s next.”

In her post, she said she was “grateful for the love and support of the fans” and described her “journey as Miss USA” as “incredibly meaningful”.

She wrote: “Eternal gratitude fills my heart when I think about the platform I was given to make a difference, the feeling of achieving a lifelong dream, and connecting with people all over the world, just as I said I would do on the Miss USA stage.

“Deep down I know this that this is just the beginning of a new chapter for me, and my hope is that I continue to inspire others to remain steadfast, prioritise your mental health, advocate for yourself and others by using your voice, and never be afraid of what the future holds, even if it feels uncertain.”

Her mother Jackeline commented that “it has been a huge relief to see Noelia’s personality restored”.

She went on: “I observed how your personality changed and how your light faded. It broke our hearts. We are so happy today to see you being you again. Welcome home.”

Miss USA responded in its own post, saying Ms Voigt for her service and wishing her the best for her next chapter.

The institution wrote: “We respect and support Noelia’s decision to step down from her duties.

“The well-being of our titleholders is a top priority, and we understand her need to prioritize herself at this time.

“We are currently reviewing plans for the transition of responsibilities to a successor, and we will soon announce the crowning of the new Miss USA.”

Ms Voigt won her title last September - the third Miss Utah to win and the first in 63 years.

She went to the University of Alabama, is a licensed esthetician and the author of a children’s book called Maddie the BRAVE, inspired by a girl who killed herself after being the victim of bullying.

Ms Voigt has often spoken about her work with the organisation Smile Train which advocated for anti-bullying campaigns.

Usually, the title would automatically go to the runner-up which would in this case be Miss Hawai'i, Savannah Gankiewicz.

The Miss USA organisation has not yet announced this.