Shocking goodbyes in 2022: Cheslie Kryst, former Miss USA, took her own life

A shocking event in early 2022. Miss USA 2019 jumped off the building where she lived, the luxury Orion building in Midtown, New York, and took her own life. It happened on Sunday morning, January 29. The beauty queen was only 30 years old.

Rodney Kryst, the father of Cheslie, spoke exclusively to the New York Post. He said his daughter didn't take any drugs and that she may have been depressed.

Rodney was quoted as saying, "she was pure, she didn't take any kind of drugs or prescription medication. She never had any kind of substance abuse problem," to the NY Post.

Rodney hinted that the former Miss USA could have been depressed due to a 'family disfunction'. In addition, media like the Daily Mail have reported that Kryst apparently thought that, at age 30, she was "running out of time to matter in society's eyes."

The late beauty queen wrote an essay for Allure magazine, emphasizing that she'd won the Miss USA pageant against the odds: she had a "five-foot-six frame... with six-pack abs… and a head of natural curls in a time when generations of black women have been taught that being 'too black' would cost them wins in the boardroom and on pageant stages."

She also said that online trolls affected her greatly. "I can’t tell you how many times I have deleted comments on my social media pages that had vomit emojis and insults telling me I wasn’t pretty enough to be Miss USA or that my muscular build was actually a ‘man body.'"

Kryst also stated that she'd been the oldest woman to win the pageant at 28 years old. When she turned 30 in April 2021, she said it was "a cold reminder" that she would not matter much anymore "in society's eyes," the Daily Mail reports.

The young woman was last seen on a 29th-floor terrace of the Orion building, sources told the NY Post. She lived on the 9th floor and was alone when she was last seen.

The beauty queen's family made a statement to CNN:
"In devastation and great sorrow, we share the passing of our beloved Cheslie. 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."

The statement continued, "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. But most importantly, as a daughter, sister, friend, mentor and colleague -- we know her impact will live on"

Cheslie Kryst was an attorney who had brains to match her beauty. She had three degrees from two different universities and her goal was to help reform America's justice system.

Without charge, Kryst had worked to help prisoners who might have been wrongfully sentenced. Her aim was to reduce their punishments and bring justice for those prisoners.

A police source told the NY Post that Cheslie was "not only beautiful but also smart... She had a life that anyone would be jealous of... It’s so sad.”

Cheslie Kryst ran a blog on women's workwear fashion called 'White Collar Glam'. She also volunteered with Dress for Success, a charity looking to empower women to achieve economic independence.

Kryst had been a track athlete at the University of South Carolina where she completed her undergraduate work.

The beauty queen also worked as a correspondent for Extra TV, the entertainment news site. CNN passed on the company's statement about the tragic loss of their colleague: "Our hearts are broken. 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."

The lawyer and pageant winner posted a photo on Instagram before her death. It read: "May this day bring you rest and peace."

Photo: Instagram / @chesliekryst

The NY Post reports that Kryst had also left behind a note. It said that she wanted to leave everything to her mother. The note did not give any explanation of her decision to end her life, the NY Post adds.

The mother of Cheslie Kryst was also a beauty pageant winner. She had been crowned Mrs. North Carolina in 2002.

Photo: Instagram / @chesliekryst

In October 2019, Kryst wrote a post on Facebook for World Mental Health Day, sharing her personal strategy for dealing with stress: "I do a lot to make sure that I maintain my mental health. And the most important thing that I did is talk to a counsellor. 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."

The post continued: "When I’m not talking to my counsellor, I spend time at the end of every single day to just decompress. I unplug, I shut my phone off, I don’t answer messages. I just sit and watch my favorite movies."

Cheslie Kryst was crowned Miss USA in a historic pageant year. In 2019, for the first time ever, three black women were crowned Miss USA, Miss Teen USA and Miss America.

The Miss Universe pageant declared on NBC New York that Cheslie Kryst was "one of the brightest, warmest, and most kind people we have ever had the privilege of knowing. Our entire community mourns her loss."