Former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst Dead at 30 After Apparent Suicide
Cheslie Kryst, who won the Miss USA 2019 title and was a correspondent for Extra, was identified as the woman who jumped from a Manhattan high-rise Sunday morning. She jumped from the 60-story Orion Building on West 42nd Street at around 7:15 a.m., sources told the New York Post. Kryst was 30.
"In devastation and great sorrow, we share the passing of our beloved Cheslie," Kryst's family said in a statement 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." Her family asked for privacy as they "reflect on our loss."
Kryst lived on the ninth floor of the Orion Building. She was alone when she jumped and was seen on a 29th-floor terrace, sources told the Post. Just hours before her death, she posted a modeling photo on her Instagram page. "May this day bring you rest and peace," she wrote.
Police have not said why she took her own life. Sources told the Post she left a note leaving her belongings to her mother, but it did not include a motive. "Not only beautiful but she was smart – she was a lawyer," a police source told the outlet. "She has a life that anyone would be jealous of. ... It's so sad."
Kryst was born in Jackson, Mississippi, and moved to South Carolina after graduating from high school to attend the University of South Carolina. After receiving her undergraduate degree, she studied law at Wake Forest University School of Law in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She graduated in 2017. She won the Miss North Carolina title in 2019, then won the Miss USA 2019 title. She finished in the top 10 at Miss University 2019. She became the longest-reigning Miss USA titleholder because the 2020 pageant was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. In late 2019, she moved to New York to cover the entertainment industry for Extra and received two Daytime Emmy nominations for the Outstanding Entertainment News Program as a part of the show.
"Our hearts are broken," Extra said in a statement. "Cheslie was not just a vital part of our show, she was a beloved part of our Extra family and touched the entire staff. Our deepest condolences to all her family and friends."
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741.
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