Noelia Voigt, the current Miss USA, has resigned from her position, claiming mental health issues.
Ms Voigt, who won the annual competition in September, said she believed in making decisions “that feel best for you and your mental health”.
“Never compromise your physical and mental wellbeing,” she wrote on Instagram. “Our health is our wealth.”
Noelia Voigt’s decision has been supported by the Miss USA organization which has indicated that it would announce a successor.
The 24-year-old Venezuelan-American, of Utah, said that she hoped to “continue to inspire others” as she started “a new chapter” in life.
“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,” she said.
She expressed her gratitude for her seven months as Miss USA, which she said gave her a “platform … to make a difference” as well as realise a “lifelong dream” and meeting “people all over the world.”
The organisation thanked Ms Voigt and replied her on Instagram that “the well-being of our titleholders is a top priority”.
The organisation said it was reviewing plans for the “transition of responsibilities to a successor”.
Savannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii came second to Ms Voigt in last year’s competition.
According to The New York Times, Ms Gankiewicz has already been offered the title.
Ms Voigt’s resignation came three days after Miss USA’s social media director, Claudia Michelle, announced her own resignation from the brand, citing alleged “workplace toxicity and bullying” and saying that titleholders “should be heard and not silenced”.
“I have had the privilege of getting to work with Noelia closely and unfortunately seen a decline in her mental health since we first met,” Ms Michelle wrote in a statement.
Ms Voigt’s “ability to share her story and her platform have been diminished”, she claimed.
