Miss USA Savannah Gankiewicz reveals onslaught of bullying since accepting crown after original winner’s shocking resignation

nypost.com:

first-place winner’s shocking resignation. Savannah Gankiewicz, 28, said the backlash “breaks her heart” in a speech Friday while visiting the Lahaina wildfire victims.“I don’t know if you’ve seen on social media, but since I’ve gotten this title I’ve dealt with a lot of bullying and harassment,” the reigning pageant queen said while holding back tears.“I didn’t want to cry, but I just feel like it’s hard because I wish people saw where my heart is coming from.”Gankiewicz’s social media has been flooded with hateful comments accusing the original runner-up of not deserving the Miss USA title — with the most serious threats calling for her to be injured for accepting the role.The bullying has even made its way into Gankiewicz’s mother’s online channels, with one person telling her they “hope your daughter gets shot & dies.”Rather than let the slander get to her, Gankiewicz has decided to take the hate in stride and graciously rule over the five remaining months after original titleholder Noelia Voigt stepped down earlier this month.“It’s about helping Lahaina and helping Maori residents and having a platform but also showing young women that you can get bullied and you can get hurt but you stand back up and you keep going and you keep using your voice,” Gankiewicz said to a heavy round of applause.Gankiewicz accepted the title last week, just days after Utah native Voigt gave up the Miss USA crown to prioritize her mental health.The move marked the first time in the pageant’s 72-year history that a titleholder voluntarily relinquished the crown.The shocking resignation was made even more dramatic when 17-year-old Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava followed suit — with sources telling The Post that “bullying” by management.