Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst reportedly leaped to her death from a New York City Midtown high-rise on Sunday in what police have ruled a suicide.
Though police have not yet determined a motive for Kryst’s reported suicide, she left behind a note asking to leave everything for her mother, a former pageant competitor who was crowned Mrs. North Carolina in 2002. A 30-year-old lawyer, Kryst jumped from her “60-story Orion building at 350 W. 42nd St. around 7:15 a.m. and was found dead in the street below,” according to the New York Post.
Prior to her death, posted on her Instagram page, “May this day bring you rest and peace.”
“In devastation and great sorrow, we share the passing of our beloved Cheslie,” Kryst’s family said in a statement on Sunday. “Her great light was one that inspired others around the world with her beauty and strength. She cared, she loved, she laughed and she shined.”
“Cheslie embodied love and served others, whether through her work as an attorney fighting for social justice, as Miss USA and as a host on EXTRA,” the statement continued. “But most importantly as a daughter, sister, friend, mentor and colleague — we know her impact will live on.”
Kryst, who also worked as a correspondent for ExtraTV, spoke out about her struggles with mental health after winning the Miss USA pageant in 2019.
Miss USA Cheslie Kryst walks on stage during the 2019 Miss Universe pageant at the Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia on December 8, 2019. (Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images)
“I do a lot to make sure that I maintain my mental health,” she said on World Mental Health Day in 2019. “And the most important thing that I did is talk to a counselor. She’s really easy to talk to. She gives me great strategies especially if I’m sad or happy or have a busy month ahead of me. ”
“When I’m not talking to my counselor, I spend time at the end of every single day to just decompress,” Kryst added. “I unplug, I shut my phone off, I don’t answer messages. I just sit and watch my favorite movies.”
Speaking with The Hilltop in 2020, Kryst said she maintains her mental health by maintaining a regular schedule and following a strict regimen with computer and phone communication.
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