Miss Colombia responds to Miss Universe mistake with heartfelt message: 'My destiny was this'

Miss Colombia is staying gracious with a message to her supporters in the aftermath of being mistakenly crowned Miss Universe on Sunday, and then having the crown removed.

"Your destiny is written for you. And my destiny was this," Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez wrote of Sunday's debacle on Instagram.

"I was able to bring happiness to my country after becoming Miss Universe for only a couple of minutes," she continued. "Today because of that COLOMBIA and the LATIN COMMUNITY are being talked about in every corner of the world."

Gutierrez also said she is "fortunate" and "thankful" for the support from her country, as well as the rest of the world.

Gutierrez has been caught in a media scandal since Miss Universe host Steve Harvey incorrectly read her name off a ballot card. In the middle of her winner's walk and already crowned, Harvey returned to the stage to announce his error. Gutierrez was stripped of the crown and sash, so that the rightful winner, Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, could be crowned.

The 21-year-old beauty queen referenced Wurtzbach's country in her comments: "I also want to congratulate the Philippines for their new Miss Universe. The happiness that you must be feeling must be incredible."

Before these statements and just moments after the mix-up, Gutierrez similarly showed grace in adversity when she wiped away a tear backstage and said, "Everything happens for a reason."

Gutierrez's kind words are in contrast with those of her angry supporters. A Change.org petition asking for the crown to be returned to Miss Colombia currently has more than 45,000 signatures. And a Colombian law firm says it's preparing a lawsuit against the pageant.

See Miss Colombia's Instagram post below:

After the storm comes the calm. I want to thank each and everyone of you who have sent messages of support and strength. Every one of you has become an incredible human being in my book and I am the most fortunate and thankful for having the support not only from one country but from the whole entire world. Your destiny is written for you. And my destiny was this. I was able to bring happiness to my country after becoming Miss Universe for only a couple of minutes... Today because of that COLOMBIA and the LATIN COMMUNITY are being talked about in every corner of the world. I also want to congratulate the Philippines for their new Miss Universe 🙏🏼. The happiness that you must be feeling must be incredible. Life continues and in the future we will find out why things happen the way they happen. Thank you all for your LOVE SUPPORT and KINDNESS. ❤️

A photo posted by Ariadna Gutierrez Arevalo (@gutierrezary) on Dec 22, 2015 at 4:08pm PST

SEE ALSO: Steve Harvey is 'absolutely' welcome back to host Miss Universe despite gaffe

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