Cheslie Kryst, Miss USA 2019, Extra TV Correspondent, and attorney was found dead Sunday morning after leaping from her 60 – story luxury Midtown high-rise in New York city. This comes shortly after her last Instagram post “May this day bring you rest and peace”. Kryst, 30, became a household name when she was crowned Miss USA in 2019. A historical moment making her one of five major title holders to be women of color, along with Miss World, Miss Universe, Miss Teen USA, and Miss America all being women of African descent. Although no motive has been given, according to sources a note was left behind leaving everything to her mother.
Born in Jackson, Michigan, on April 28, 1991, Kryst followed in her mom’s footsteps, who was also crowned Miss North Carolina, by entering the pageantry world. She received her undergraduate degree from the University South Carolina and would go on to receive her MBA and Juris Doctorate from Wake Forest University School of Law in 2017. Once she passed the bar in North Carolina she worked as a pro bono lawyer to help clients. According to the New York Post, Kryst, sat down and spoke with Facebook, in October 2019 for World Mental Health Day to discuss tips on dealing with stress and credited counseling, exercise, having a routine, and setting boundaries as her way of managing her hectic schedule and getting in self-care. It was also around this time that she became a New York correspondent for “Extra” where she received two Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Entertainment News Program.

If you or anyone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or go to SpeakingofSuicide.com/resources.